At least 20% of the households in the Terai, the plains of southern Nepal, do not own land. In order to make a living, these households commonly rely on share cropping and work in low paid off-farm jobs. The approach described here allows these farmers to make the most of the large areas of fallow land near riverbeds which are normally unclaimed and not cultivated. Since the lands near riverbeds have alluvial soils and sufficient moisture, they are suitable for seasonal vegetable cultivation during the dry season. In order for these landless and land-poor households to be able to farm these riverbed areas, they need to have access to suitable plots and the necessary agricultural inputs and training.
