Single female-headed households are more vulnerable to food insecurity following the April 25 earthquake last year as the affected districts have a high rate of male migration, a joint United Nations assessment report released on Monday said.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that conducted a joint assessment focusing on agriculture, early recovery, food security and livelihoods said that earthquake survivors had seen a steady increase in food security. “Yet, there remain a large number of vulnerable communities where food insecurity persists, particularly with Dalit and single female-headed households,” it said.

There remains a pressing need for assistance in mountain and hill areas with a higher proportion of marginalised and isolated ethnic and indigenous groups, according to the report.

Food insecurity is highest among Dalit households, over a third of who fall below the acceptable threshold for food consumption, followed by Janajati households at 21.3 percent, compared to only 6.8 percent of Brahmin/Chhetri households.

Findings from this assessment will help inform policy decisions on recovery and development, it said. The assessment shows a significant improvement across food security since the 2015 earthquake. “This has been attributed to the levels of humanitarian assistance received, the start of the summer harvest, and the restoration of access to markets and improvements to their general functionality,” the report said. The study surveyed more than 4,000 households in 11 earthquake-affected districts in Nepal from September to October 2015.

Agriculture was the most commonly reported income source for both men and women, with a slightly higher proportion of households reporting this as the primary source of income for women as opposed to men.

The majority of assets lost or damaged in the earthquake were reportedly tools and infrastructure associated with agricultural livelihoods, which is reflected in lower expectations of agricultural production and higher debt.

“Overall, an estimated 78.9 percent of households reported having debts at the time of the assessment, with high outstanding debt loads across the board,” the report said.

The joint statement of the WFP, FAO and UNDP said it would work together with the Nepal government, including the newly established National Reconstruction Authority, on post-earthquake recovery work.

The findings will help identify priority areas for Nepal’s development partners and the UN, particularly these three agencies, in their effort to ultimately promote a more resilient Nepal. The joint assessment was conducted in Dhading, Dolakha, Gorkha, Kavrepalanchok, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Rasuwa, Sindhuli and Sindupalchok districts.