UNDP collaborated with several local governments of Madhesh province: Gaushala Municipality of Mahottari; Ganeshman Charnath Municipality of Dhanusha, and Hariwon Municipality of Sarlahi in 2020 and Karjanaha municipality of Siraha in 2023 to set up such agro-forestry plots. This initiative generated great interests of the local governments and the community which resulted into high demands for support to scale up the interventions. Based on the learnings and considering high demand of the local governments and the community, this was further expanded to other municipalities of Madhesh Province and beyond. Till the end of August 2024, over 340 hectares of riverbeds are now converted into the green production areas, where more than 60,000 seedlings of fruits and trees have been planted that benefit over 1,700 households (# 60% are women, 17% are from Dalit Community, 26% are from Indigenous Nationalities, 36% are Madheshi and 5% are from the Muslim (religious minority community). The main purpose of establishing such plots was to test a model of green job creation for the most vulnerable men and women of the Terai by having positive impacts on natural environment. This has been recorded as one of the best practices within UNDP.

In this regard, UNDP Nepal/ EQuiP Project is looking for a consultancy firm to support the beneficiary groups and build their capacities to upscale current subsistence river-bed farming practices to a market-based agri-business model for selected commodities.