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People have utilized indigenous and underutilized crops available in the marginal land for their food. However, little is known about the contribution of these crops to food security. To assess the contribution of these crops to food security of local people, a survey was done with 107 respondents selected from community forest users of the eastern Chitwan of Nepal in 2020. The findings revealed that fiddle head fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris L.), air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera L.), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.), and white yam (Dioscorea alata L.) were consumed mostly compared to other indigenous and underutilized crops. Community forest was a major source of underutilized crops followed by marginal land. Though air potato was available only for four months, its contribution to food security was higher than the other crops. Indigenous crops were found gradually disappearing due to producers' poor access to land to cultivate, misuse of land, and ineffective implementation of the Land Use Act. Further, local people’s engagement on off-farm employment had increased marginal land fallow. The study found that the prices of indigenous and underutilized crops offer income-generating opportunities. Thus, a marginal land use plan considering indigenous and underutilized crops is needed for both food security and income of local people.

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A survey-based study was conducted to assess the production scenario of Lapsi in Falewash, Parbat. Purposively selected twenty-four Lapsi entrepreneurs in Falewash Municipality, Parbat district were interviewed with a well-structured questionnaire that explored Lapsi production data in the last twelve years, which were then processed and analysed with descriptive statistics using computer software MS-Excel 2010. The average landholding size of the respondent farm households was 17.6 Ropani (0.88 ha), and 1 8% of the land was occupied by Lapsi. However, 95% of the Lapsi orchard is established in Pakho/Bari (Upland). A majority (66.7%) of the Lapsi growers were trained either for cultivation, grafting and/or processing techniques. The Lapsi productivity in Falewash, Parbat (12.7 Mt/ha) is above the national average (8 Mt/ha). A Lapsi orchard in Falewash, Parbat can be established with investing NRs. 3,762.89 per Ropani. The average annual operating cost of Lapsi orchard is NRs. 2,052.19 per Ropani, whereas the average annual gross return is NRs.15,890.57 per Ropani. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.84, net present value (NPV) of NRs. 30,146.3 and internal rate of return (IRR) of 33% signify the economic importance of Lapsi production. Pay-Back period of eight years in Lapsi production enterprise requires a long-term plan to be established as a cash-generating enterprise. The major problems in the Lapsi production are harvesting difficulty and damage by wild animals (mostly monkeys) whereas the poor transportation facility and inadequate market information are the major marketing constraints.

Government of Nepal has announced a super-zone of banana in Chitwan district and a block in Nawalparasi East district to enhance productivity and commercialization of banana subsector in the Hetauda-Dumkibas road corridor. This study is the first of its kind to analyze the competitive position of banana value chains in the corridor. Using the literature review approach, the paper generated a conceptual framework to assess competitiveness of value chain. A total of 160 producers, 22 traders, 3 wholesale commission agents and 10 agrovets were selected using stratified random sampling method. The pretested semi-structured questionnaires surveys, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to collect primary data and analyzed using STATA and MS Excel. The study revealed two value chain streams in the corridor- one in Chitwan district and another in Nawalparasi East district. Most of the structure indicators were found similar for both value chain streams. Banana market was monopolistically competitive along both chains. Producers of Chitwan district were more competitive than Nawalparasi East because of their higher benefit cost ratio and higher farm gate price for fingers. The reasons for this were relatively better institutional set up contributing to extension, insurance and training services, and better technological adoption rate in Chitwan district. In addition, the chain stream of Nawalparasi East had relatively lower marketing cost and higher market margin, market efficiency and value addition. The reasons for this were shorter chains and low level of transportation cost. Thus, policy efforts to strengthen local institutions providing extension, training, insurances, market information and credits are recommended to improve the performance of the value chain. In addition, encouraging processing and value addition of bananas should be of concern to development practitioners and policy makers.