Vegetable Farming and Farmers’ Livelihood: Insights from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Vegetable farming significantly boosts the livelihood of peri-urban farmers in Kathmandu Valley (KV), Nepal, by generating cash and providing employment opportunities. A study involving 140 farm households found that most farmers are migrants cultivating an average area of 2551.5 m² for vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables. Binary logistic regression revealed a strong positive relationship between vegetable farming and livelihood outcomes. However, challenges such as poor market management, lack of irrigation facilities, haphazard urban growth, price fluctuations, and vegetable diseases hinder sustainability. The research suggests that targeted interventions are needed to strengthen the vegetable sector and sustain this critical source of livelihood for peri-urban farmers.

Rai, M. K., Paudel, B., Zhang, Y., Khanal, N. R., Nepal, P., & Koirala, H. L. (2019). Vegetable Farming and Farmers’ Livelihood: Insights from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Sustainability, 11(3), 889. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030889