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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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