The wider objectives of this project included: the sustainable improvement in the socio-economic conditions of rural communities in the Gulmi and Arghakhanchi districts, and the alleviation of poverty. This was to be achieved through four main components: Natural Resources, Human Welfare, Business Enterprise and Infrastructure components. During project implementation, one thousand and fifty seven sub-project activities were undertaken, following a bottom-up identification process involving DDC (District Development Committees) and and VDCs (Village Development Committees). Achievements included the following:
Infrastructure improvement - the project's contribution focused on the construction of feeder roads and irrigation schemes. The road construction activities were undertaken using the “green roads” approach, which is a labour-intensive, environmentally-friendly approach to road building. 40km roads were constructed in each district. In total 15 irrigation sub-projects were implemented covering 369 ha of land. In the final (deferred closure) year of the project, operation and maintenance (O&M) systems including maintenance funds were established for all of these schemes to ensure sustainability, and water user groups were formed and trained in all aspects of maintenance. Similarly, ten micro-projects were carried out to improve/rehabilitate small canal covering 110 ha of land or less.
Agriculture Production - Following GARDP intervention increased agricultural production has been achieved through identification of appropriate technologies suitable to the hill environment. Cash crop production is thought to have increased and the project has contributed significantly to improve yields of cereal and vegetable varieties. Activities focused mainly on training, nursery establishment and material support. In total the following sub-projects were implemented: 11 bee-cultivation projects, 42 coffee projects, 28 citrus projects (covering mainly lemon, mandarin and sweet orange production – 6 nurseries established), 8 ginger projects, 5 potato projects, 29 vegetable projects including the use of drip irrigation, 1 banana project, 1 pineapple project, and 1 tea project.
Livestock Production - The project’s two main areas of intervention included improving the amount and quality of fodder through the distribution of improved planting material to farmers, and upgrading local stock through the introduction of elite local animals. Fertility, growth rates and milk yields are thought to have increased. The project also trained a large number of livestock extension workers from village communities.
Forestry - The high levels of human and livestock population in the districts have had a detrimental effect on the availability of forest resources, and have resulted in severe land degradation in many places. GARDP interventions aimed to mitigate some of these problems and have worked with Forest User Groups (FUGs) to formulate and implement sound forest management plans (FMPs) in order to encourage the protection and regeneration of the forests and the sustainable use of village grazing areas. Activities in this sector included nursery construction, plant production and distribution, market studies, silviculture training to group members, and community forest demarcation. These aimed tp promote the sustainable management of community forests by FUGs.
Soil Conservation - Within the project area population pressure, deforestation, rapid surface erosion and the cultivation of unstable slopes were identified as warranting project intervention if sustainable productivity improvements were to be achieved without adversely affecting soil stability and fertility. Areas of support included: environmental protection, on-farm conservation, watershed planning, bio-engineering, and environmental awareness.
Micro-hydro schemes – One Micro-hydro scheme with a capacity of 25 kW in Turang VDC and one pioneering Pico-hydro scheme with a capacity of 0.75kW in Neta VDC were implemented.
Human Welfare - The project supported a number of government initiatives in the sectors of drinking water, health, education and human resource development, aimed at improving the capabilities and welfare of local communities.
Enterprise Development - implementation focused on supporting income-generating activities in the form of materials and equipment and some support to the SFDP to extend its network of sub-offices.