Resource information
Over the past centuries, the mid-hills of Nepal have been inhabited and cultivated by nomads, settlers and in the recent decades intensified farming systems. The system is constantly under systemic change due to farmers own actions and policies within the confines of biophysical resource envelope. Without proper design, the farming system has been characterised by high levels of degradation, expansion to marginal fragile landscapes, outmigration and high cost of production. These challenges pose higher productivity, financial and social risks. To sustainably manage the landscapes, reconfiguration of the farming system towards reduced risk and improved production is desirable. Coincidentally, this corresponds to Nepal’s devolution of planning to local authorities who demand the context specific redesign and resource management plans.
The Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SIMFS) is a CGIAR initiative. This initiative ‘aims to provide equitable, transformative pathways for improved livelihoods of actors in mixed farming systems through sustainable intensification within target agroecological and socioeconomic settings. To achieve this, different methodologies, innovations, and practices have been implemented to understand and improve the agroecological/productive conditions to assess a benefit on nutrition, food security and welfare. SIMFS works closely with the CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative on Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) that propels evidence into impact through engagement with public and private partners across the production-to-consumption continuum, to achieve productive, environmentally-sound South Asian agrifood systems that support equitable access to sustainable healthy diets.
