active· Livelihoods· Health

NEP/FLC HNFF Allo Enterprise for Sustainable Livelihoods

Overall objective of the project is to build an environmentally-sustainable value chain for allo from field to district-level centre for the benefit of 39 women allo producing groups in Sankhuwasabha Solukhumbu and Bhojpur Districts of Eastern Nepal.Specif ic objectives are to ensure sustainable supply of raw material through cultivation and management of allo on private and common lands to adopt appropriate technologies for allo extraction and spinning and to build the capacity of newly registered cottage industry for a sustainable allo enterprise.The main avtivities are: Training materials and co-funding support for allo cultivation Testing procurement and installation of spinning machine set that is adapted for allo fibres, establishing procedures for ef ficient and equitable ownership and management, training local people on how to operate it Replication of environmentally-sound steaming techniques for fibre extraction to reduce fuel-wood usage and improve productivity Capacity-building of a self-supporti ng producer-controlled community-based cottage industry to deliver services to producer groups.Expected results of the projec are: Increase in volume of allo raw material supply by 50% as compared with benchmark through environmentally-sustainable cultivat ion and management of allo on private and common lands. Spinning machine set installed producing consistent quality allo yarn with corresponding reduction of unhealthy use of the drop spindle Energy-efficient extraction of allo fibre using a steaming metho d Producer-controlled community-based cottage industry established with operational service centre.