Empowering Smallholder Farmers: Heifer International’s Innovative Approach to Climate-Resilient Livestock Management in Nepal
Exclusive Interview with Ms. Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for the Asia Program at Heifer International
24 December 2024, New Delhi: In a transformative journey to revolutionize livestock management in Nepal, Ms. Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for the Asia Program at Heifer International, highlights the organization’s critical role in addressing the dual challenges of climate change and poverty faced by smallholder farmers. Nepal’s vulnerability to erratic weather patterns, rising temperatures, and land degradation necessitates innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture.
Heifer International’s interventions have shifted the paradigm from traditional extensive grazing to sustainable, climate-resilient livestock practices. These initiatives focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing land use, and empowering women, who constitute 95% of the program participants. From cultivating drought-resistant fodder on over 16,000 hectares to introducing climate-adaptive livestock sheds, Heifer is fostering economic independence and resilience among rural communities.
This interview with Ms. Joshi delves into the impactful strategies employed by Heifer in Nepal, including climate-smart innovations, partnerships with local insurance companies, and the role of women-led cooperatives in driving transformative change. It also explores how these lessons can be scaled globally to create sustainable futures for smallholder farmers worldwide.
1. How has the shift from traditional extensive grazing to sustainable livestock practices impacted the productivity and resilience of smallholder farmers in Nepal, particularly in the face of climate change?
Amid Nepal’s increasing vulnerability to climate change, Heifer International in Nepal is transforming livestock management for smallholder farmers by shifting from traditional extensive grazing to sustainable, climate-resilient practices. These innovations are enhancing productivity; strengthening resilience; and equipping farmers to adapt and thrive despite the growing challenges posed by a changing climate.
To this end, Heifer introduced climate-adaptive measures, including resilient livestock sheds and extensive fodder cultivation, ensuring that smallholder farmers have year-round feed availability. These steps have reduced reliance on overgrazed pastures, preventing land degradation and creating a more sustainable ecosystem.
The availability of nutritious fodder closer to their homes has significantly cut down the time farmers spend on feed management. This change has particularly benefited women smallholder farmers, freeing them to explore other income-generating opportunities, which further strengthens their economic independence. Besides, farmers now adopt controlled and selective breeding practices by transitioning to stall-feeding systems, improving herd productivity and genetic quality. Additionally, climate-adaptive livestock sheds help mitigate heat stress from rising temperatures, ensuring animals remain productive despite the challenges of global warming.
Furthermore, to tackle climate-induced risks such as disease outbreaks and natural disasters, we partnered with over ten Nepali insurance companies to introduce a livestock insurance program. This initiative protects farmers from economic losses, providing a safety net and ensuring their livestock enterprises remain sustainable.
This approach exemplifies how Heifer Nepal strengthens productivity, builds resilience, and empowers communities, creating a sustainable and inclusive future for smallholder farmers.
2. What specific strategies or innovations has Heifer International implemented to reduce water and land use intensity and greenhouse gas emissions in Nepal’s goat farming cooperatives?
In Nepal’s diverse and challenging landscape, Heifer International has implemented innovative, climate-smart livestock management practices to address critical issues such as water scarcity, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. These strategies are tailored to the unique needs of goat farmers, ensuring sustainability while enhancing productivity and resilience.
To address water scarcity in hilly regions, we have constructed soil-cement ponds, managed by the farmer collectives such as self-help groups. These ponds collect rainwater and stream water, ensuring a steady water supply during dry seasons for livestock and farming needs.
Besides, we promote stall-feeding systems, which reduce land use intensity by replacing traditional grazing with high-biomass, nutrient-rich fodder cultivation. Techniques such as inter-planting legumes and non-legumes have enhanced soil fertility, improved dry matter yield, and optimized land use. Farmers are also adopting perennial fodder crops and better harvesting techniques, ensuring sustainable fodder availability while limiting the need for extensive grazing land.
Take the case of Birendra Khatiwada, a member of the Gaiyadevi Self-Help Group in Sindhuli who has benefitted by the training on forage cultivation. After training in forage cultivation, Birendra began planting high-protein forages that offer 20-22% protein compared to the 16-17% from traditional varieties. He highlights how these forages are more nutritious, improve livestock health, and lower feeding costs due to reduced consumption.
Furthermore, to improve productivity while reducing herd sizes, farmers are maintaining smaller, higher-yielding herds by culling less productive animals and introducing better breeds. This shift has led to goats reaching marketable weights of 30-35 kg at 10-12 months, compared to 25-30 kg at 18-24 months previously. By keeping meat production constant with fewer animals, livestock farmers are significantly lowering methane emissions from enteric fermentation.
Heifer also facilitates training programs on balanced feeding practices that have further reduced methane emissions. Digital Feeding Support Tool (FST) has helped farmers create cost-effective, nutritionally balanced rations, optimizing feed efficiency and reducing production costs.
Additionally, manure management training has ensured that livestock waste is handled properly, minimizing methane emissions and supporting environmentally sustainable practices. Through these strategies, Heifer is supporting farmers to adopt climate-resilient, resource-efficient practices, contributing to a sustainable future for Nepal’s livestock sector.
3. Can you elaborate on the role of women, who comprise 95% of the program’s participants, in driving sustainable livestock practices and how this has influenced their economic empowerment and community well-being?
Nepal’s women, who form the backbone of agricultural and livestock activities, are at the forefront of addressing the dual challenges of poverty and climate change. Within this context, Heifer in Nepal has focused on supporting women, who make up 95% of its program participants, to lead the transition to sustainable livestock practices. This approach not only enhances livestock productivity and environmental sustainability but also catalyzes economic empowerment and community transformation.
Through targeted training programs in livestock management, balanced feeding, selective breeding, and climate-resilient farming, Heifer equips women with modern techniques that improve both farming productivity and sustainability. By shifting to stall-feeding systems, for example, women have reduced the time spent on labor-intensive feed management, allowing them to pursue income-generating activities and enhance household efficiency.
Women’s leadership in self-help groups and cooperatives has strengthened community structures, fostering collective action to address challenges such as water scarcity, disease control, and market access. Their engagement in group savings and lending within cooperatives has further empowered them to make financial decisions, enabling investments in livestock enterprises, business expansion, and improved household incomes.
Economic empowerment has translated into greater decision-making power for women within families and communities, challenging traditional gender roles and promoting gender equity. Moreover, as women’s incomes rise, they invest in critical areas like children’s education, healthcare, and community development, creating a ripple effect that enhances overall well-being.
Take the story of Rukmani Adhikari from Sindhuli, Nepal, as an example. Through Heifer’s Milky Way program, Rukmani received two Korean Holstein heifers, which have improved her family’s income. These cows produce 21 liters of milk per session—three times the yield of her previous local breeds. By following Heifer’s training on hygiene, calf-feeding, and improved shed management, Rukmani ensures high-quality milk production. This has allowed her to dream of a better future, where her children have access to quality education and healthcare, and where financial independence is a reality.
The transformation seen in Rukmani’s life and the hundreds of thousands of women farmers we work with reflects the larger impact of women-led sustainable livestock practices in Nepal. By empowering women to take charge, Heifer is not just enhancing individual livelihoods but also reshaping the social and economic fabric of rural communities.
4. With Nepal being highly vulnerable to climate change, how does the adoption of cultivated fodder on 16,000 hectares contribute to both climate resilience and food security for smallholder farmers?
Nepal, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, faces the adverse impacts of rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and frequent extreme weather events. These challenges threaten agricultural systems, jeopardizing the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers. In this context, Heifer Nepal’s innovative approach to fostering climate resilience and food security through cultivated fodder has been transformative.
Heifer Nepal has facilitated the cultivation of drought- and flood-tolerant nutritious fodder varieties on 16,000 hectares of land, providing smallholder farmers with reliable feed for their livestock even during extreme climate events. This strategic intervention ensures up to nine months of fodder availability annually, significantly reducing dependence on overgrazed pastures and safeguarding livestock nutrition.
The availability of high-quality fodder has enhanced animal productivity, resulting in higher milk and meat production and boosting household incomes. Moreover, cultivated fodder contributes to environmental sustainability by sequestering an estimated 60,000 tons of carbon annually, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.
This initiative also improves soil fertility, supports land restoration, and promotes sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring the long-term productivity of farming systems. By ensuring consistent access to nutritious feed, Heifer has empowered farmers to adapt to climate variability, enhancing their economic stability and strengthening food security for vulnerable communities in Nepal.
5. What lessons from these interventions could be applied to other countries facing similar climate risks, and how can policymakers and organizations collaborate to scale such sustainable practices globally?
Heifer’s work in Nepal to promote sustainable livestock management offers valuable lessons that can guide other countries in tackling climate-related challenges. These interventions demonstrate the importance of integrating climate-resilient practices with a community-centered approach to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience for smallholder farmers.
Some lessons I would like to share are:
1) Enteric fermentation is a significant source of methane emissions from livestock. Educating farmers on scientifically balanced feeding practices and proper waste management as Heifer has done in Nepal, can mitigate these emissions while improving livestock productivity. Extension workers play a critical role in disseminating this knowledge, highlighting the importance of capacity-building programs for effective adoption.
2) Deforestation and land modification exacerbate climate risks associated with livestock farming. By introducing appropriate fodder varieties, promoting climate-adaptive infrastructure, and efficient use of crop bi-products, countries can reduce land use intensity and ensure year-round feed availability. This approach also secures water resources, vital in regions experiencing erratic rainfall and water scarcity.
3) The integration of livestock insurance programs among smallholders, as implemented by Heifer in Nepal, provides a safety net against climate-induced risks such as disease outbreaks and natural disasters. This model can be replicated globally to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods and promote economic resilience.
4) Women’s participation in sustainable farming practices, supported by targeted training and leadership opportunities, has proven transformative. It not only boosts productivity but also advances economic independence and gender equity. Empowering women as leaders in agriculture offers an inclusive path toward development and community well-being.
5) Community-led initiatives, such as self-help groups and cooperatives, are critical for scaling sustainable practices. These structures ensure local ownership, skill-building, and resource-sharing, equipping farmers to adapt to and mitigate climate challenges effectively.
To replicate these successes globally, policymakers and organizations must share best practices and knowledge across borders through knowledge exchange platforms. They should also support capacity-building initiatives for farmers and extension workers. Fostering cross-sector partnerships, including public-private partnerships, to fund and implement climate-resilient livestock practices can help scale up these efforts. And lastly, develop globally accepted standards for climate-resilient livestock farming, with a focus on smallholder farmers.
Scaling sustainable livestock practices requires a coordinated global effort. International funding mechanisms, policy alignment, and platforms for cross-border collaboration are essential. These strategies ensure that farmers worldwide can access scalable solutions addressing climate change, food security, and economic inequality, replicating the successes seen in Nepal on a global scale.
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