Bio-engineering Social Enterprise for Disaster Risk Reduction and Livelihood Upliftment

Introduction

Nestled in Raksirang Rural Municipality, Nepal, the Chepang communities live amidst breathtaking yet perilous terrain, facing disaster risks and livelihood insecurity. As one of Nepal’s most marginalized groups, they struggle with poverty, food insecurity, and underutilized natural resources, while landslides pose constant threats. The "Bioengineering Social Enterprise for Disaster Risk Reduction and Livelihood Upliftment" project aims to mitigate these risks and enhance livelihoods through nature-based solutions, fostering a sustainable bond between the Chepang people and their environment.

Location

Raksirang Rural Municipality, situated in Makwanpur district, Bagmati Province, Nepal, covers 226.7 sq. km and is home to 30,830 people across 4,946 households (Rural Municipality Profile, 2018). The municipality is located within the Mahabharat and Churia mountain ranges, both highly susceptible to landslides and climate-induced disasters. The Mahabharat range influences monsoon rainfall patterns, causing floods, debris flows, and shallow landslides, while the Churia range, composed of young sedimentary rocks, is particularly vulnerable to landslide processes. As a result, Raksirang is one of the most climate-affected regions, facing frequent natural hazards.

About the Community

The project was implemented in three phases:

• Phase One: A pilot project was launched in two wards, integrating indigenous knowledge from the Chepang community to test solutions. The key objective was to mitigate landslide impacts while addressing poverty through a single approach.

• Phase Two: Following the successful pilot, the project was expanded to the remaining seven wards of the rural municipality, scaling up efforts for broader impact.

• Phase Three: Building on the project's success, we further expanded to three additional locations—Mahakulung Rural Municipality, Dhangadimai Municipality, and Ichakamna Rural Municipality—extending sustainable solutions to more vulnerable communities.

Food-for-Work Modality

To address both livelihood challenges and disaster risk reduction, we implemented a Food-for-Work modality in this project. Given the community’s dependence on direct cash assistance, we introduced an alternative approach where beneficiaries received food supplies in exchange for their labor in planting vegetation on landslide-prone areas.
Through this initiative, community members actively participated in plantation activities, helping to stabilize slopes and reduce erosion, while also securing enough food to sustain their families for two months. This approach not only provided immediate food security but also promoted long-term resilience by encouraging active community involvement in disaster mitigation efforts.

First Phase in Wards 5 and 7 of Raksirang Rural Municipality

In the first phase, also the pilot stage, we selected two wards—Ward 5, the most accessible, and Ward 7, the least accessible. This careful selection allowed us to assess the project's viability, understand its challenges, and explore its potential for expansion. Our primary emphasis was on deeply engaging with local communities to integrate their indigenous knowledge and sensitize them to the project's purpose and long-term benefits.
Through extensive research and discussions with stakeholders and villagers, we discovered that broom grass was traditionally planted by the community to prevent landslides and generate income by making and selling brooms. However, due to low market rates, they had abandoned the practice. Recognizing its potential as a nature-based solution, we reintroduced broom grass plantation on a commercial scale to address both landslide mitigation and livelihood upliftment.
To strengthen this initiative, we established user committees in both wards, each consisting of 10-15 members representing households. These committees played a crucial role in sensitization, identifying beneficiary households, coordinating activities, and monitoring on-the-ground progress. The major activities included sapling collection, sapling distribution, and plantation. Additionally, we provided broom-making training and market linkages, closely monitoring broom production to ensure quality and sustainability. The objective was to foster leadership, ownership, and accountability, ensuring the project's long-term success.
As the project progressed, the committees remained at the forefront of all activities, with our team facilitating and supporting their efforts.

Before Bio-Engineering Project

Several areas in Raksirang Rural Municipality were degraded due to deforestation, erratic rainfall, and unplanned road construction, putting hundreds of Chepang households at risk. The Mahabharat and Chure-Bhawar mountain ranges, among the youngest geological formations, consisted of loose sandy soil, making the region highly prone to frequent landslides.
Each year, landslides destroyed infrastructure, damaged property, and claimed lives. Beyond disaster risks, the Chepang communities faced extreme poverty, with an average annual income of just $151. They endured food insecurity for over seven months a year, relying heavily on forest resources for sustenance and livelihood.