Agriculture extension system reforms and policy implication in Nepal

Presented by

Rajendra Uprety

Senior Agriculture Development Officer, Department of Agriculture, Nepal.

Email: upretyr@yahoo.com

Agriculture in Nepal

Population of Nepal is 2.64 million (CBS 2014). 65.5% is engaged in agriculture . Offered employment to 66 per cent of the economically active population. 39 per cent contribution in GDP. 13 per cent of the total foreign trade of the country (NPC, 2010).

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

-9 -6 -6 -12

-21

20

41

12

Pe

rce

nta

ge o

f La

nd

Crops

Percentage of area change of different crops in Nepal (2001-2011)

559 586 610 692 653

744

935 954

1125 1147

1040

19 24 35 57 94 140

187 237

281

389

566

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1961 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Val

ue

of

com

mo

dit

ies

(in

mill

ion

s U

S$)

Years

Value of rice and vegetables produced in Nepal (1961-2010)

Rice

Vegetable

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

Goat Pig Sheep Poultry Cattle Buffalo Yak

59

30 29

49

-11 -9

-49

Pe

rce

nta

ge o

f an

imal

Animals

Percentage of animal population change in Nepal (2001-2011)

Agriculture Extension in Nepal Started: in 1952 (Establishment of Tribhuvan Village Development Department (TVDD)

In 1955: Department of Agriculture was established with Agriculture Extension Division and Zonal offices

Since then organizational structures were integrated and disintegrated several times for the agricultural development in the country.

Currently, there are three departments Agriculture, Livestock and Food Technology and Quality Control

Ministry of Agriculture

Development

Department of Agriculture

Regional Directorate-5

Laboratories-15

Training Center-5

District Office-75

Service Center-378

Department of Livestock Service

Regional Directorate-5

Laboratories-5

Training Center-5

District Officer-75

Service Center-999

Department of Food Technology

and Quality Control

Regional Offices-5 & Apple Processing

Center-1

Food Quarantine Laboratories-5 & Food Inspection

Units-20

S.

No.

Particulars Extent of coverage by

extension service

Agriculture Livestock

1 Rural population per service center

(SC)

60,197 22,777

2 Total cultivated area or livestock/SC 11,877 (ha) 11,589

3 Village development committees/SC 10.4 3.9

4 Village development

committees/JT/JTA

2.5 2.7

Table 1. Coverage by agricultural extension service in Nepal, 2007/08

Source: MOAC. 2008. Statistical information on Nepalese agriculture 2007/08

All together 1703 offices under the MOAD, 49 are central level and 50 are regional offices. District level offices are 227 and Service centers/sub-centers are 1377. Total human resources under MOAD are 13930 of which 1823 are in Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC).

Agriculture Service Centers

Agriculture extension models / approaches tried

in Nepal Conventional

Training and Visit system (T&V)

Block Development

Integrated Rural Development Model

Tuki

Farming System Research

Farmer Group Approach

Contract out / Partnership of Extension Programs

IPM (Farmers Field School)

Farmers to Farmers

Value Chain Approach etc.

Strengths of Agricultural Service Delivery System

in Nepal Well established organizational structure and

infrastructures and supporting facilities like agricultural

farms, laboratories (seed, soil and plant protection) and

agriculture training centers throughout the country, up

to the service center level.

Availability of permanent human resources with

specialization in different agricultural fields

Established partnership with other organizations like

I/NGOs, private input suppliers (called agro vets),

farmers groups and cooperatives (Sah, 2010; Thapa,

2010).

Weaknesses of Agricultural Service Delivery

System in Nepal 1. Inadequate capacity of extension workers to advise farmers 2. Weak linkages of extension with research and education institutes 3. Limited coverage of the extension service 4. Disadvantaged/marginalized farmers poorly served by the extension

system 5. Slow pace of agricultural commercialization and weak

competitiveness due to higher cost of production 6. Weak extension support services 7. Weak Farmers’ Organizations (FOs) 8. Limited focus & participation of youth in agriculture 9. Weak devolution of extension service to local bodies 10. Cooperatives are too profit oriented rather than on cooperative

principles 11. National macro- policies and agriculture policies should be

synchronized

Extension policies for emerging issues implementing by the government in Nepal

Pluralistic Agriculture Extension

Privatization in agriculture extension

Decentralization of Extension

ICT for Agriculture and Extension

Subsidies on fertilizers, seed and agriculture loan

Location-specific mission program

Youth-focus commercial agriculture development program

Conclusion

Present agriculture extension and its capacity is

inadequate to addressed rapidly changing crop

specific extension needs.

There should be need based reform in the

structure as well as its staffs.

It is nor possible to fulfill diversified farmers

need by public extension services alone. So it is

better to work-together.

Youth population leaving agriculture and it is

necessary to attract youth force in agriculture to

reform it and its sustainability.

Cost and labor saving agri-mechanization and

better market management skill is necessary to

make agriculture more profitable.

Without better profit agriculture will not be more

productive and sustainable.

So agriculture extension services become more

challenging.

Use of ICT is a better option to enhance our

coverage and effectiveness. Regional cooperation

and partnership will be very helpful to update

each other and face global challenge together.

To strengthen regional network one meeting was organize in Kathmandu last year (14-15 January , 2014). It was first face to face meeting. From Nepal DG-DOA , DDG planning, President of Nepal Agriculture Extension society, Dr. Binod Sharma IDE/INGO, Yamuna Ghale/SDC and Director of Agriculture Extension Directorate were participated. Those all participants are in AESA network and using this forum as sharing & learning with all members. In recent NAES October meeting formed Nepal net for AESA with following members. Program Director/AED focal point, Chairman-NAES, Director of department of extension-AFU, Dr. Binod Sharma IDE and Ms Yamuna Ghale-SDC.

Thank you very much