This project is implemented in Chaukune Rural Municipality, along the Karnali River basin in Surkhet District, Karnali Province. Many households experience food shortages for over six months each year, leading to mass seasonal migration of the young workforce to India, leaving women and children to manage households, farming, and elder care. Limited road access, electricity, and governance challenges further exacerbate hardships, creating a pressing need for food security and inclusive development. The project runs from July 2025 to June 2026.

Project Objective:

Enhancing Food Sovereignty in Karnali Province aims to strengthen the implementation of Nepal’s Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act 2018, ensuring access to adequate food and empowering local food producers. The project emphasizes community-led advocacy, particularly engaging women, youth, and marginalized groups, to translate constitutional and legal guarantees into real, actionable benefits for vulnerable households.

 Key Activities:

• Food deficit mapping in Chaukune Rural Municipality
• Sharing findings with local and provincial authorities
• Workshops on Article 36 of Nepal’s Constitution
• Drafting Food Rights Policy and Regulation at selected local government units
• Media campaigns to raise public awareness on Food Rights and Sovereignty
• Final dissemination of project learning with federal lawmakers

 Direct Beneficiaries:

• Female: 192 | Male: 191 | Other Gender Identities: 2
• Youth: 153 | Indigenous: 210 | People with Disabilities: 12

 Indirect Beneficiaries:

Over 2,500 households (12,000–15,000 people) across 10 wards will benefit through improved access to food, services, and governance accountability. This initiative empowers communities to claim their right to food, ensures inclusive participation, and strengthens local governance and accountability in a geographically and socially marginalized region.