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SRFSI project is a good initiative with ample scope and opportunities for scaling.

– Department of Agriculture (DoA), Nepal

About Department of Agriculture (DoA), Nepal:

The Department of Agriculture (DoA) was established in 2008 B.S and re-established in 2029 B.S by merging all the five departments (Department of Agricultural Extension, Fisheries, Horticulture, Animal Health, and Agricultural Education and Research). In 2052 B.S DoA was reorganized, and three different departments were set up (Department of Agriculture, the Department of Animal Services, and the Central Food Research Laboratory of Agriculture). In 2057 B.S, 11 technical divisions under the Department of Agriculture were changed to 12 Program Directorates. Accordingly, the Government of Nepal has already approved the administrative restructuring of all three levels, the organizational structure at the federal, state, and local levels, and the manpower. To adapt to the new federal organizational structure, the past role of the department has changed, and eleven branches were established in addition to the Director-General and four Deputy Director-General. District Agriculture Development Offices and Agricultural Service Centers in each district have been dismantled after federalization. The goal is to ensure food security and contribute to poverty reduction by diversifying agriculture into commercialization and the specific objectives are:

  • To increase production and productivity to meet the growing internal and external demand for agricultural commodities.
  • To increase the production and productivity of raw materials required by agro-based industries.
  • To contribute to the reduction of poverty by conducting productive and employment-oriented programs for small, marginal, and women farmers.
  • To run a sustainable agriculture development program by maintaining a balance between agriculture development and environment protection.

Key learnings and reflections:

  • Farmers who had participated in CASI-related training, demonstration, and exposure visits have started adopting CASI-related practices. A few field technicians employed by the project have also started custom-hiring services for CASI-based machinery.
  • Few farmers and field technicians who have started custom-hiring services for CASI-based machinery are yet to expand their business with additional area coverage under CA.
  • Few women who were indoors before the SRFSI project have now come out and have been empowered to voice their needs and aspirations.

Future Actions:

  • Organize a series of policy dialogues in a bid to sensitize the policy makers and other relevant stakeholders about the importance of CASI technologies and persuade and help them in mainstreaming the CASI at all three levels of government.
  • Prepare a critical mass of trainers to train the front-line extension workers.
  • Increase the budgetary support to ensure the custom-hiring of CASI machinery by the farmers in need.
  • Prepare strategic interventions to take on board the local levels/governments as they are the main platform for and nucleus of any development endeavors.
  • Develop a separate national policy and framework for CASI scaling.
  • Dissemination of success story and coordination with MoLMAC for targeted commodities. The success story could be the replica of wheat in Province no 1 and 2.

Contact person:

Dr. Ram Krishna Shrestha, Chief

Centre for Crop Development and Agrobiodiversity Conservation (DoA, Nepal)

+977-9851.216.951

rksathi05@gmail.com

DoA, Nepal Publications

… for more productive, profitable and resilient farming systems

The SRFSI project is a regional research for development collaboration of more than 30 partners, focused on the Eastern Gangetic Plains.