Reliable access to irrigation can help small farmers improve the productivity of their land, thereby meeting their requirements for food as well as generating enough additional income to cover the cost of maintaining and upgrading the system. These risks are on the rise, however, as climate variability results in rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and poor crop yields. In addition, isolation, small landholdings, insecure land tenure, lack of access to technology, and fluctuations in the prices of global commodities and production inputs make the livelihood of small farmers even more precarious. Because so many factors are involved, assessing the vulnerability of small farmers is immensely complicated.

The main aim of organising National Seminar was to bring together national and international experts, academicians, policy makers, government officials, small farm irrigators, researchers, donor representatives, members of the private sector, media persons, representatives of local level bodies to analyse and interact existing and emerging issues on small scale irrigation system and their roles in building local livelihoods in Nepal.