CRS in Nepal

Nepal is a country situated along the slopes of the Himalayan Mountain ranges in South Asia, and within its borders include eight of the tallest mountains in the world. Landlocked by India to the east, south and west, and China to the north, Nepal has a current population of 29.1 million people.

Nepal’s mountains attract adventurists and tourists from around the world. In contrast to the grandeur of its landscape, the country is among the poorest countries in the world. Interplay complex factors including high multi-dimensional poverty, malnutrition and frequent occurrence of natural disasters hinder the economic growth of country. Nepal experiences multiple natural disasters each year, such as earthquake, drought, fires, landslides and monsoon floods. Most parts of the country are seismically active.

Over the past nine years, CRS Nepal has operated at the humanitarian response and recovery development nexus to support vulnerable communities, having officially registered with the Government of Nepal’s Social Welfare Council in 2015. Since that time, CRS has aided 318,347 program participants through agriculture, livelihoods and disaster preparedness and response programs and interventions like housing reconstruction, recovery and rehabilitation and agricultural supports. By working with the Government of Nepal, CRS reached over 100,000 households with socio-technical assistance and livelihood recovery efforts for enhancing resilience of people and communities.

By leveraging its past and current successes, CRS Nepal will continue to expand in these programming areas while strengthening other sectors, such as community resilience and recovery.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

Agriculture and Livelihoods

CRS Nepal prioritized agriculture and livelihoods as an integral part into several earthquake response and recovery projects by reaching more than 31,919 households. Until now, 5,255 women farmers have been supported by rebuilding low-cost chicken coops and goat shelters. CRS also piloted a ginger warehouse recipient financing model and introduced improved cardamom drying and storage techniques in Palpa and Gorkha districts, Nepal, respectively. In addition, CRS has been implementing a project on “Securing and Protecting Investments and Capacities for Environmental Sustainability (SPICES) project" in Palpa and Surkhet to support climate change adaptation and mitigation at the community level following market-oriented strategies focusing on medicinal herbs and spices. In partnership with Purdue University, Tribhuwan University and Agriculture and Forestry University (Nepal), implementation of on-farm participatory research and dissemination of ginger drying and storage technologies are ongoing to enhance economic efficiencies for rural women farmers in Lumbini province.

In addition to these initiatives, CRS Nepal has been implementing the second phase of USAID-funded F2F program in Sudurpaschim, Karnali, Lumbini, Bagmati and Madhesh provinces (2024-2028) after successful completion of the first phase (2018-2023).

Emergency Response & Recovery

Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation

CRS Nepal is committed to going beyond disaster response and recovery, by focusing on initiatives that will empower communities and governments to anticipate, respond and rebuild for a safer future.

In collaboration with the government in Nepal, CRS identifies and implements strategies to mitigate multi-hazards, and address community needs and government priorities through technical assessments and interventions.

CRS Nepal swiftly supported emergency needs during earthquakes in Gorkha, Lamjung, Doti, Khotang and Jajarkot, and flood/landslide responses in Gorkha, Taplejung, Banke, Jajarkot and Rukum West. CRS’s programs integrate Shelter, Livelihoods and Community Infrastructure for dignified recovery.

Photo by Jennifer Hardy/CRS

CRS Nepal also combines social support with technical expertise to help communities rebuild not only their homes but also their livelihoods and social connections. Social and Technical Assistance (STA) aids vulnerable households in recovering effectively, leveraging their own resources and external assistance for a dignified, resilient recovery.

Photos by Benny Manser/CRS

Empowering communities and disaster risk reduction (DRR) systems to plan and act has been a recent focus of CRS Nepal’s DRR programming. In collaboration with the START Fund Network and consortium partners, CRS implemented Landslide Anticipatory Action projects in Gorkha, Taplejung, Jajarkot and Rukum (West). CRS Nepal remains steadfast in its commitment to working together with the most vulnerable communities and the Government of Nepal in delivering early action.

Homes and Communities

CRS Nepal is implementing a strategy change platform through local homes and communities program to strengthen both the government and humanitarian response and recovery system in Nepal by working closely with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), province government, humanitarian organizations, and the National Housing and Settlements Resilience Platform (NHSRP).

The NHSRP is the renamed platform of previous Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform (HRRP), which was launched in 2015 to support coordination of the post-earthquake housing reconstruction from the Nepal Shelter Cluster, as it returned to the pre-earthquake format as a standard cluster. NHSRP was handed over to the NDRRMA by the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) following the end of NRA tenure in 2021. With supports from CRS, NHSRP now works closely with the NDRRMA to localize the National DRR Strategic Plan of Action, focusing on Priority Area 2 “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance at Federal, Provincial and Local levels'' and Priority Area 4 “Enhancing Disaster Preparedness for Effective Response and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.”

As part of this global effort, CRS Nepal is also actively involved in the Green Housing Response Program, which focuses on building local capacity for climate-smart responses. Likewise, CRS Nepal is mobilizing technical working groups involving government agencies, peer organizations and others for the design of innovative housing solutions such as flood resilient housing , and developing policy guidelines like multi-hazard recovery guidelines.

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CRS' History in Nepal

CRS has been working with Caritas Nepal since the 1970s, and has been supporting Caritas Nepal in emergency response, capacity building and disaster management since 2005. Caritas Nepal is the social arm of the Catholic Church in Nepal, providing support to marginalized and vulnerable communities. Given the magnitude of natural disasters affecting Nepal each year, CRS began supporting Caritas Nepal in emergency response efforts.

CRS’ ability to rapidly assess and address needs in the aftermath of disasters in Nepal, like the 2015 earthquakes, is thanks to a strong and long-running partnership between CRS and Caritas Nepal. Caritas and CRS are able to mobilize local volunteers through grassroots networks and community-based organization contacts in Nepal.