Major Intervention and Socio-Economic Impact of Food Security Project in Salleri VDC, Dailekh District

Abstract

This study is based on the Major intervention and socio-economic impact of food security project in Salleri VDC, Dailekh district. The main objective of this study is to examine major intervention of the project activities in the study area. This study also explores the effectiveness of the project and analyzes the major constraints during project intervention period. With the aid of World Food Program (WFP), food security (Protracted Relief and recovery Operation-PRRO) project has implemented through partner organization in the study area to improve the production and income status of the community people. The program has really benefited to the community people who were facing food deficiency and having not access on improved agriculture technology as well as improved farming system due to the lacking of awareness and proper assistance. Many households faced low production and low income from their agriculture activities. They were having no access on selection of improved high yielding capacities seed, appropriate sources of seeds center and facing high difficulties during hunger months(February/March and June/July). For the survival of high hunger period, most of the household head happened seasonal migration, some were borrow loan and some were engaged for wages works within village for their coping. Realizing the vulnerability of the community people's, program has launched the project and intervening through different production increment related activities and improved the food and income availability condition of the rural families to some extent. So, it has brought public awareness and improvement in the field of agriculture as well as food security. Social science research methodology has been applied in this thesis work. The project support is implemented in whole settlement of 5 VDCs in Dailekh district. Out of them, 3 wards of Salleri VDC were selected. Where WFP and partner organization had started food security program before four years realizing the conflict affected and food vulnerability community. This program brings change compared with the days before project intervention.43% households were found shifted for 3-6 months food availability from their vi own production from up to 3 months. Seed and seed sources selection pattern has been improved and average 25% production was increased compares with previous year from their own farm. Majority of the household having access on community assets for their agro farming. Some of the household having practice to cultivate high value crop within small size land coverage. How ever it seems that lots of measures are to be undertaken for effective and systematic improvement in the field of food security and enhance the quality life through socio-economic development of rural areas. There are a lot of constraints during implementing this program effectively. For example transportation, low level awareness, fund security,geographical diversity, regular strikes. In order to overcome and manage all these above mentioned constraints, loopholes every beneficiaries were made aware about the project support, time duration and the importance of the improved agriculture technology, community assets and the proper utilization of the logistic support. All of the communities people were participated and mobilized actively and responsibly in the project activities as well own agriculture activities to improve their production and income for making availability of the food at household level. At last, there is the need of long term strategies food security plan for the vulnerable community and regular supervision, monitoring and evaluation for the sustainability of project activities as well as household activities applied for the improvement of the food and cash availability status in a whole period of coming each years.