Floods and droughts are major pressures on food production in Barbardiya Municipality, Nepal, reported by 67.5 percent and 31.8 percent of surveyed households, respectively. Conducted under the Easing and de-risking transition to climate-resilient food production for enhanced self-reliance in humanitarian contexts (NOVO de-risking agroecology) project, this assessment examines local food-system vulnerabilities, agroecological practices, relevant stakeholders and policies, and existing adaptation and mitigation measures. It combines focus group discussions and key informant interviews with a survey of 154 households across six wards, drawing on FAO agroecological principles and vulnerability risk assessment frameworks.

The assessment finds high exposure and sensitivity to climate hazards alongside moderate adaptive capacity. Agroecological transition remains limited, with an overall assessment score of 42.4 percent and comparatively weak implementation of practices related to biodiversity, recycling and resource integration. At the same time, cultural and traditional practices remain important sources of resilience. Among surveyed households, 76 percent reported adopting flood- or drought-resistant crops, while 50 percent reported modifying agricultural practices in response to climate risks.

Recommended measures include mixed farming, agrobiodiversity conservation and greater use of organic inputs, alongside investment in irrigation, markets and early warning systems. The assessment also emphasizes farmer capacity development, stronger implementation of existing policies, more equitable resource allocation and improved coordination among stakeholders to strengthen resilience and support a gradual agroecological transition.