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Public Support forAgriculture Extension and

Marketing ExtensionSystem in Nepal

Dr. Shiddi Ganesh ShresthaProgram Director

Directorate of Agriculture Extension

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Presentation Outline

1. Background

2. Main Features of Public Support

3. Major Pitfalls in Market Development and Marketing Extension Services

4. Suggestions for Addressing Problems and Issues Related to Production, Agriculture Extension and Marketing Extension

5. Opportunities for SAARC Member Countries of Free Economy Policy and Globalization

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Background

• Agriculture is the backbone of the Nepalese economy

• It is the single largest contributor (33%) to GDP

• It employs 66% population directly

• It supports livelihoods of many people

• Agriculture is getting commercialized but it is largely a subsistence type

• Agriculture productivity and the level of technology adoption is low – 229 var. &

FEW:FHs 1:2,500

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Some Important Policies,Acts, Regulations and Orders related toAgriculture

Policies 10

Acts 18

Regulations 9

Orders 6

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Organizational Arrangements

Nepal Agriculture Research Council

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives

Department of Agriculture

Department of Cooperatives

Department of Food Technology and Quality Control

Boards, Corporations, Companies and Committees

Regional Directorates-5

District Offices-75Service Centers -378

FARMERS

Department of Livestock Services

Regional Offices-5Apple Processing Center-1

Food Quarantine Labs-5

Food Inspection Units- 20

District Offices-33Divisional & Training

Offices-5

District Offices-75Service & Sub-service Center

Offices-999

Directorates-5,Divisions-15 & Crop

& Commodity Research Programs-

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Regional Research Centers-4

Research Stations-18 &

Research Sites-50

Regional Directorates-5

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Human Resources

S.

No.

Organizations Human resources, No. Total

Technical Non-technical

1 Ministry of Agriculture and

Cooperatives

57 75 132

2 Department of Agriculture 2848 2126 4974

3 Department of Livestock Services 2267 1793 4060

4 Department of Food Technology and

Quality Control

179 52 231

5 Department of Cooperatives 3 591 594

6 Other central level organizations 105 109 214

Sub-total 5402 4671 10073

7 NARC 1765

Total - - 11838

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Research Programs

• Food and cash crops

• Horticulture crops

• Animal husbandry and animal health

• Pasture and fodder crops

• Agro-forestry/farm forestry

• Agriculture engineering

• Soil and irrigation management

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Research Programs …

• Agriculture botany and biotechnology

• Entomology, plant pathology and plant protection

• Farming system

• Agriculture extension

• Food science

• Other subjects related to agriculture

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Extension Programs

• Institution Development:

Formation and strengthening of Farmer Groups (FGs)

Transformation of matured FGs to agriculture cooperatives

Consumer cooperative development

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Extension Programs …

• Infrastructure Development:

Small irrigation development, rehabilitation and strengthening

Cooperative irrigation

Storage, collection and market center development

Agriculture road

Cooperative farming

• Input Supply:

Chemical fertilizers

Seeds and saplings

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Extension Programs …

• Production Programs:

Pocket programs

One Village One Product (OVOP) Programs

Mission Programs

Seed multiplication programs

Crop intensification programs

• Service Delivery:

Technical advice & extension activities

Laboratory

Regulatory

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Extension Approaches

• Agriculture Service Center - 378

ASCs & 1 ASC : 11 VDCs

• Groups - 36,000FGs (24,000 in DoA)

• Cooperatives – 22,000 Coops & 5,000 Agri.

coops

• Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements

• Private Sectors e.g. Agro-vets, NGOs, CBOs etc

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Extension Approaches …

• Farmers' Field School (FFS)

• Farmer to Farmer (FtF)

• Demonstration Farm (ATEIP initiative)

• Agriculture Alliance (CADP and PACT)

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Major Marketing Extension Services

• Development of collection and wholesale market centers – 8

wholesale & 180 collection centers

• Formation of market management committees

• Promotion of consumer cooperatives

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Major Marketing Extension Services …

• Flow of market information - FM and Bulletins

• Provision for credit – ADB,

SFCL & Other Banks

• Regulatory measures

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Major Marketing Extension Services …

Regulatory services are provided based on:• Food Act, 2023 (3rd Amendment 2049)

• Feed Act, 2033 (Amended in 2055)

• Patent Design and Trade Mark Act, 2022 (Amended in

2048)

• Contract Act, 2056

• Seed Act, 2045

• Pesticide Act, 2048 (1st Amendment 2064)

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Major Pitfalls in Market Development and Marketing Extension Services

• Lack of Master Plan

• Market development is mainly dependent in public investment

• Failure in linking market development with production

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Major Pitfalls …

• Lack of focus on smallholder farmers' situation

• Poor storage, processing and transportation facilities

• Weak market intelligence

• Lack of orientation to extension agents

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Suggestions for Addressing Problems and Issues Related to Production, Agriculture Extension and Marketing Extension

• Formulation of Master Plan for Agriculture Market Development

• Market Development through Partnership and Collaboration

• Supports for Smallholder Farmers - irrigation, roads, electricity,

agro-industries etc

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Suggestions …

• Infrastructure Development -promotion of rustic stores and zero tillage equipments, use of alternative energy etc

• Cooperatization of Farmer Groups

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Suggestions …

Role of Agri. Cooperatives:

Trading of agriculture inputs

Trading of farmers' produce

Saving and credit – NRs. 430 million &

investment NRs. 261 million

Value addition

Selling essential consumer commodities

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Suggestions …

Role of Agri. Cooperatives … :

Production contracts

Establish market information center

Delivery of extension services

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Opportunities

Nepal is richly endowed with natural resources such as:

Land resources – Mountain, Hill & Terai

Water resources – Surface, Ground,

Snow & Water Harvesting

Various climatic conditions –Temperate, Sub-tropical & Tropical

Agro-biodiversities

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Opportunities …

Bilateral & multilateral trraderegime:

Remove tariff & non-tariff barriers

Harmonize testing & certification system

Honor each others systems agreed upon

Subsidies crops, commodi

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Opportunities …

Bilateral & multilateral trraderegime … :

Subsidies to promote crops, commodities & enterprise which has comparative & competitive advantage in the region

Promote each others commodties

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Opportunities …

Such resource endowments could be best utilized not only for the benefit of Nepal but also for the benefit of all SAARC member countries

So, let us put our hands together

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