Globally, there has been a massive increase in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/climate-change-hits-himalayan-rice">food crop production</a> mainly due to increased land use and a rapid rise in yield.&nbsp;
Yet, hunger not only persists but is growing, with 850 million people not getting enough food, and some 345 million facing serious food insecurity in 2023.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/borderlines/grain-drain">Conflict, climate change and supply chain disruption</a> are causing global food prices to constantly rise, and poorer households are facing unmet dietary needs and nutrition for children.&nbsp;
Decline in household food production means an increasing number of Nepalis have to buy food, and the country’s dependence on imports is increasing even though 60-70 % of the population is supposed to be engaged in agriculture. Nepal is high in the global hunger index, with 36% of children being stunted. &nbsp;
Year after year, farmers are worried about delayed rainfall due to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/kathmandu-s-polycrisis">changes in weather patterns</a> and are unable to plant paddy on time. The shortage and high prices of fertiliser and availability of seeds is a recurring issue. Farmers do get a reasonable price for their produce, making crop farming less and less attractive.&nbsp;
Food Security is a pathway to peace. Rising food insecurity can be a trigger for instability and conflict. Ensuring access to adequate nutrition for all is an important part of a country’s responsibility for the wellbeing of the citizens.
At the historic UN General Assembly Summit in 2015, 193 member countries including Nepal agreed to transform the world by meeting 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. One of the goals is to eliminate all forms of hunger, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-sets-ambitious-target-for-food-sufficiency">but will Nepal meet it</a>?&nbsp;
At the recent Food Security Summit Plus 2 in Rome, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stated: “It is important that we address the bottlenecks in every sector for making a leap towards zero hunger.” The PM’s statement needs to translate into action with leadership, commitment, program activities and financing, so all bottlenecks are removed.&nbsp;
The government’s budget for 2023/24 makes a commitment for a national campaign for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/farm-to-fork">self-reliance in agriculture </a>with an increase in food production from 10.7 million tons to 14 million tons and a reduction in imports by 30 % by the end of 2024. This is clearly unrealistic within the time frame and in absence of inadequate budget allocation, shortage of key agricultural inputs, lack of irrigation and weather challenges.&nbsp;
Nepal’s Agricultural Development Strategy (2015 to 2035) to modernise agriculture <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/biodynamic-agripreneurs">focusing on increasing production</a>, processing and marketing can be a game changer. The PM’s Agriculture Modernisation Program is linked to the strategy and covers a 10-year period ending 2023, but there are serious implementation challenges along with poor alignment with Nepal’s move to a federal system.&nbsp;
The climate crisis adds to all threats to food security. Shifts in rainfall patterns are affecting Nepal’s food basket in the Tarai. The 2023 monsoon saw extreme weather and a long dry spell. Eight districts in the plains suffered from delayed rain with an overall estimated shortfall in paddy of 15-20%.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/push-factors-driving-nepalis-out">Migration of youth</a> has led to a serious shortage in labour and families are leaving their land fallow in hilly regions. A million hectares of land is uncultivated in the hilly districts.
Besides high costs of agricultural inputs, low productivity in all three major cereal crops like paddy, wheat and maize are of serious concern. Fragmentation in farm size means challenges with achieving economies of scale in modernisation and corresponding profitability of farming. &nbsp;
It is estimated that Nepal currently produces 10.5 million tons of cereals (5.5 million tons of rice, 2.7 million tons of maize, 2 mil. tons of wheat and about 0.3 million tons of other crops such as millets. There is an estimated supply gap of around 2 million tons of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/post-monsoon-rain-ruins-nepal-s-crops">paddy</a> for this year.&nbsp;
India is the main source of food commodities for Nepal. In absence of price stabilisation measures in Nepal, when India announces restrictions on global food exports, there is concern about sudden food price rises across Nepal.&nbsp;
Millets are adaptable to harsh climates and grow well in mountain regions under rain-fed conditions, but its cultivation is declining. Since 2023 has been declared as the International Year of Millet, Nepal should promote its cultivation and use in our diet.
Crop destruction by monkeys, wild boars and elephants is most probably due to their habitat being encroached upon. An updated national strategy to deal with this menace and support to farmers is desperately needed. &nbsp;
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in a recent survey found that about 4.26 million Nepalis eat insufficient diets. There are also regional disparities in household food consumption, with the lowest level in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-karnali-s-hunger-emergency">Karnali Province consuming an inadequate diet </a>(22.5%), followed by Sudurpaschim Province (16.9%). Overall, 45.4 % of children between 6 to 23 months of age did not meet the minimum recommended dietary diversity, with the lowest level in Karnali (52.3%), Sudurpaschim (51.7%) and Lumbini (51.4%).&nbsp;
Given that nearly 70% of households are buying their food, continued rise in food prices and decrease in income will inevitably lead to an increase in malnutrition.&nbsp;
A nationwide program for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-students-get-a-second-helping">meals to students </a>up to middle school in all government schools allocates Rs 15 per student per day, which is insufficient. Fortunately, some municipalities are now contributing additional funds for school feeding programs, and this trend should spread.&nbsp;
Despite subsidies for transportation of rice for sale to poor households, supply is irregular. Encouraging consumption of native crops could lead to resilient farming, regular supplies and possibly better nutrition.
Despite the lack of support, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/down-in-sherpa-s-farm">there are success stories</a>, mainly due to individual and private sector engagement. The growth in the dairy and poultry industries is commendable. Individuals returning from overseas employment are getting into vegetable farming, piggery and goats with increased self-reliance.&nbsp;
Checklist
Here is a checklist for the government to make an impact:
<ol>
 <li>Introduce and implement ambitious plans with budget increase and governance structure for farming, along with expansion of livestock, poultry, fishery, horticulture, olericulture and medicinal plants.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Make extensive adaptation and mitigation measures to address the climate crisis with expansion of irrigation, cultivation of indigenous rain-fed crops and diversification of livelihood.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Protect and improve the livelihood of vulnerable communities with safety nets and employment to ensure food security. Review existing support programs for impact and accountability.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Establish a strong governance structure to coordinate implementation, review and monitor progress in program delivery, outcome and impact. &nbsp;</li>
 <li>Bring fallow land into cultivation, and provide assistance to small farmers, with support in technical know-how, marketing, with the engagement of the private sector. Enable and increase women’s engagement in the production process.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Seek partnership to improve the agricultural sector's productivity. India and China have extensive experiences in transformation of their agriculture from food deficit to food surplus nations. More exchanges, cooperation and partnership with these countries and UN system, in particular the Rome-based agencies WFP, FAO, IFAD and UNDP, are needed&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

Bishow Parajuli

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Food security is national security

Greenhouses are supposed to be hotter than the ambient temperature because the glass or plastic traps heat inside so plants can grow in winter. But one greenhouse here on the southern fringes of Kathmandu is an exception: it is cooler than outside. It feels like an enormous refrigerator, and there is no visible thermostat. The agro-tech company Muttho Nepal has deployed a combined concept of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/garden-walls">vertical layered farming</a> and hydroponics, allowing for plants to grow in a relatively small space with nutrient-enriched water. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/muttha.nepal/">Muttha Agro</a> is the brainchild of Kushal Gurung of Wind Power Nepal and Gandaki Urja, who has also been promoting alternative energy sources in Nepal with <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/this-is-bullshit">Nepal’s biggest industrial-scale biogas plant</a> in Kaski and a series of wind farms.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020940_bd58b85ade5e1929ccaed09cac9c098ab4336f21b012480868f241ae08ce9818.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230916020940_bd58b85ade5e1929ccaed09cac9c098ab4336f21b012480868f241ae08ce9818" data-rendition-name="original" width="5149" height="3433" loading="lazy" alt="Vertical hydroponics"></figure>   <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020940_4642c4b18e3936a530dcfc441b54b926ec69a1d249ba4c53e71419d8b3556458.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230916020940_4642c4b18e3936a530dcfc441b54b926ec69a1d249ba4c53e71419d8b3556458" data-rendition-name="original" width="5398" height="3599" loading="lazy" alt="Vertical hydroponics"></figure>  “This is an alternative to traditional agriculture most suited to cities like Kathmandu with its limited land already crowded with concrete buildings and scarce water,” explains Gurung, showing visitors around his complex. “The once-fertile soil in Kathmandu is also becoming too acidic for crops because of the overuse of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/heavy-pesticide-use-and-low-consumer-awareness-affecting-public-health,1394">fertilisers and pesticides</a>. Muttha stepped into production in March 2023, and its applied demo system has also been installed in the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/small-is-possible-at-godavari-park">Living Mountain Lab in Godavari</a> for other farmers to adapt to or learn from. After <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">rooftop farming</a> and the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/mini-forests-to-make-kathmandu-more-liveable">Mikawaki method of forestation</a> where diverse indigenous plants are densely planted in small city plots, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/something-fishy-in-new-nepal-farm">hydroponics</a> can maximise productivity in a limited area while saving water by circulating it again and again.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020928_9594937bc01ae879d754f233d3a48baa46c3849cbba130983f7ab26a4b17063c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20230916020928_9594937bc01ae879d754f233d3a48baa46c3849cbba130983f7ab26a4b17063c" data-rendition-name="original" width="3854" height="2569" loading="lazy" alt="Alternative farming in Kathmandu"></figure>  Muttha Nepal goes a step further by integrating the global practice with local knowledge, adds Gurung. “In Nepal, most hydroponics are investing millions and bringing experts from abroad to install their systems. But we installed the whole setup by ourselves, understanding our own needs,” he says. Also unlike most hydroponics that have artificial heating or cooling, Muttha uses the natural temperature balance, bringing down energy cost and making the venture most cost-effective. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/back-to-the-future-of-farming">Back to the future of farming in Nepal</a> “Artificial temperature control is costly whereas sunlight is free," says Erik van Os, a Dutch expert with 40 years of experience in hydroponics. Van Os is helping Muttha Nepal grow sustainably as part of <a href="https://www.carsu.edu.ph/?q=topics/programma-uitzending-managers">Programma Uitzending Managers</a> (PUM), which is committed to the sustainable development of small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries and emerging markets. In a natural temperature setup, the topmost layer gets most of the sunlight, which means plants that need more sun are placed above while others go in their shade.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020940_5ce9cb81d68990d2d7458658a417a836a8b7cc3eadc57c8cb1fc593946ce1a5f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20230916020940_5ce9cb81d68990d2d7458658a417a836a8b7cc3eadc57c8cb1fc593946ce1a5f" data-rendition-name="original" width="5676" height="3784" loading="lazy" alt="Alternative farming in Kathmandu"></figure>   <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020940_8548ec4c064b9bcd33f3874af495f24525d3ec1612f0aa3bbcde2711f0ce0436.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20230916020940_8548ec4c064b9bcd33f3874af495f24525d3ec1612f0aa3bbcde2711f0ce0436" data-rendition-name="original" width="3749" height="2499" loading="lazy" alt="Alternative farm in Kathmandu"></figure>  Farming is seeing mechanical and technical advances globally, but Muttha is making the most of what it has with inputs from advisers. Gurung and the team do not consider the lack of high-tech appliances as setbacks. Using a mid-tech greenhouse, surrounded by a white net, the vertical hydroponics structure provides enough space for ventilation. The net of the surrounding walls can be covered with plastic during heavy rainfall. The topmost layer below the plastic roof is a shade net that decreases the temperature by 2-3°C. Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">Hanging gardens of Kathmandu</a>, Santa Gaha Magar Inside the greenhouse, there are five perfectly aligned separate columns with four systems each of six levels of pipes, each having six pipes with 28,000 holes in which leafy greens are grown. Each row has a 500 l tank half-embedded below ground level. The nutrient-filled water is circulated throughout the pipes through these tanks with the help of a water pump. The plants are high-value produce like lettuce, basil, kale, arugula and celery, and poke out of the vertically arranged holes in the pipes. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/latest/waste-to-value-with-biogas-in-nepal">Waste to value with biogas in Nepal</a>, Sushmita Dulal  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020944_d33e3b643183fbe495a15c6f84e3515a830bf111adea934d61411ec309f7a5e0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_17" data-image-id="20230916020944_d33e3b643183fbe495a15c6f84e3515a830bf111adea934d61411ec309f7a5e0" data-rendition-name="original" width="5852" height="3901" loading="lazy" alt="Alternative farming in urban areas"></figure>   <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230916020944_8817163ed3831895da1e4bc0adb4708ff5a93762dea13b99abd20c89cbecd1b5.jpg" data-media-id="editor_18" data-image-id="20230916020944_8817163ed3831895da1e4bc0adb4708ff5a93762dea13b99abd20c89cbecd1b5" data-rendition-name="original" width="4668" height="3112" loading="lazy" alt="Alternative farming in urban areas"></figure>  “We have stuck with salads for two reasons. One, it has been the tested crop of hydroponics worldwide and is a sure success everywhere,” explains Gurung. “Second, it is a perishable high-value crop that cannot be imported.” Muttha is also experimenting with growing strawberries, coriander, and tomatoes but salads are their priority. With an investment of Rs6 in each sapling, it can earn up to Rs30 when it grows. Muttha also runs training workshops to share its knowledge to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-farmers-reap-what-they-sow-and-more">make farmers across Nepal climate-smart</a> to keep up with rising temperature and droughts. Just this monsoon, parts of Nepal’s hills and much of Tarai were not able to plant paddy on time due to reduced rainfall. For now, deploying this combined alternative farming in urban centres is a start to greening <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-lure-of-green">concrete jungles</a>, while increasing productivity of farms. Von Os sums it up: “Integrating hydroponics is the way forward to intensify the produce in places like Kathmandu with limited space but high demand.”

Greening a concrete jungle

Members of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/news/without-sherpas-there-is-no-mountaineering">Nepal’s Sherpa community</a> are known the world over for their mountain climbing expertise. But Ang Phurba Sherpa is proving that the inhabitants of villages below Mt Everest can be equally expert farmers.&nbsp; Just away from the hustle and bustle of the city in Gokarna Ang Phurba is busy on the morning rounds of his dairy farm, inspecting the milking machines. The farm is spread across half a hectare in Sundarijal amidst a lush backdrop of Shivapuri National Park. The smell of cow dung is mixed with the odour of disinfectant at the door to prevent lumpy skin disease that is spreading across Nepal.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-family-that-works-together-stays-together">A family that works together stays together</a>, Sahina Shrestha Ang Phruba has 175 Jerseys, 85 of them milking cows, some are lazily chewing the cud while others feed on hay. Cows that just delivered are in a separate maternity ward. The lone bull has a corner all to himself. <a href="http://www.salakafarm.com/">Salaka Dairy Farm</a> was established 10 years ago, and is one of the two largest dairy farms in the country producing 1,300 litres of milk every day sold to 700 households in the Gokarna area who subscribe to home delivery. Customers also visit the farm for fresh dairy products, and there is an outlet in Boudha for paneer, rasbari and other processed products.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230720130756_4953a11f8733d3c523781dd4d9569d66f0b99c852ba5bf0909c90899b12777f0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230720130756_4953a11f8733d3c523781dd4d9569d66f0b99c852ba5bf0909c90899b12777f0" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="5333" loading="lazy" alt="Cow farm Kathmandu"> </figure>  What sets the Salaka apart from other dairies is the productivity, a concept Ang Phurba says he learnt when he spent eight years in Israel working a floriculture farm. His cows produce up to 22 litres of milk a day when Nepali cows on average give only 5 litres daily. What is his secret?&nbsp; “I just give them nutritious feed, as much as they can eat. Water is important, they drink the same quality water as I do,” explains the 34-year-old Sherpa as he shows visitors around his farm guarded by fierce-looking dogs. Sherpa also uses the new technology for artificial insemination that ensures that nearly all the calves born are female. This further increases the productivity of his farm. Ang Phurba is originally from Salleri in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/lifetime-experience-on-pikey-peak">Solu Khumbu</a> and left on a work visa to Israel where he trained primarily in floriculture. But after eight years, he was determined to start something of his own back home, deploying the techniques he had learned in Israel. Three months after he returned, Ang Phurba leased the farm in Gokarna and started growing vegetables for sale in the Kathmandu market. He was doing fairly well, but faced a chronic <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/corruption-and-nepal-s-chronic-fertiliser-crisis">shortage of organic fertiliser</a>. At the same time he found that the demand for milk was much higher than any other agricultural product in Kathmandu. Which gave him the idea to start a dairy which would also allow him to produce his own manure. The idea worked brilliantly. Today, Ang Phurba’s farm is making more money from selling organic fertiliser than from selling milk products. Vermicomposting is a simple but highly cost-effective technology of converting farm waste such as cow dung into organic manure with the cooperation of willing earthworms. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-organic-uncle-of-chitwan">The 'Organic' uncle of Chitwan</a>, Anita Bhetwal  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230720130756_a047c27b98b2c9377b310f99459260d48d963c5b6288bdfb2db12221cb28d9b7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20230720130756_a047c27b98b2c9377b310f99459260d48d963c5b6288bdfb2db12221cb28d9b7" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="Vermicomposting"> <figcaption>Vermicompost at Salaka.</figcaption> </figure>  Salaka produces 1.5 tons of vermicompost per day and the product is so much in demand from all over Nepal, that it is out of stock at the moment. Even when it is available, Ang Phurba’s employees cannot fill the sacks fast enough to meet demand. Ang Phurba Sherpa is a different breed of businessman-farmer, who is not looking just for quick returns, but sees the larger picture. He trains other farmers and willingly shares his knowledge, and sells his vermicompost at just Rs18 per kg even though it can fetch anywhere up to Rs100 in the market.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/milking-every-opportunity">Milking every opportunity</a>, Sahina Shrestha Asked why he does not sell it for more, Ang Phurba replies: &nbsp; “I am not interested in getting rich fast, the idea is to make fertiliser affordable and accessible to local farmers so that they can also be more productive. As long as I am not losing money, I am happy. I will prosper if everyone else prospers.” Ang Phurba still grows vegetables in his adjoining greenhouses, fertilised by his own compost. He has plans to expand his dairy, and modernise his workflow. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/biodynamic-agripreneurs">Biodynamic agrepreneurs</a>, Sanjib Chaudhary He is in Israel this week to attend workshops on recent advancements in the dairy industry with a special focus on low-emission technologies for energy-intensive farms.&nbsp; Ang Phurba believes in hard work, building a strong network of local farmers and taking one right step at a time. He says: “Eventually I want to manufacture fully processed UHT milk that people can drink directly out of the bottle without having to boil it like elsewhere in the world.” &nbsp;

Sonia Awale

Down in Sherpa’s farm

Every year, Chandra Prasad Adhikari suffered losses on his farm. For years, his tomato crop did not earn enough to sustain itself.&nbsp; In 1988, he even brought in agronomists to test the soil, and planted new varieties. The batch sprouted upwards within a month only to be wiped out by cotton bollworms when it was time for harvest. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/my-children-shouldnt-be-farmers">"My children shouldn't be farmers,"</a> Anita Bhetwal Frustrated, Adhikari used the chemical pesticide democrene to kill the bugs under the recommendation of an entomologist. That too failed, as the bugs were immune to the pesticide. “I was tired to the point where I wanted to give up agriculture,” recalls Adhikari. Then the entomologist, Phanindra Neupane, a professor at Rampur Campus, suggested switching to organic farming. Adhikari’s father Badrinath had also previously practiced organic farming and his 2.5-hectare farm had produced maximum yield. “My father never used chemical fertilisers. When the extension workers came to the village to promote urea, he sent them away saying our cattle manure was enough to give good crops,” recalls Adhikari who then took to organic approach, especially after finding out that chemicals had hardened the soil and reduced fertility.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023040312044_569a0c7f3604705a82c5520bf598a9117da7d7a7d1ec41a43c2638c4005a2cd8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2023040312044_569a0c7f3604705a82c5520bf598a9117da7d7a7d1ec41a43c2638c4005a2cd8" data-rendition-name="original" width="800" height="423" loading="lazy" alt="organic farming in Nepal"> <figcaption>Chandra Adhikari showing vermicompost production. All photos: SUMAN NEPALI</figcaption> </figure>  Adhikari improved the cowshed, collected dung and used it in the farm. The results were not instantaneous. It took time for the organic methods to reverse the damage caused by years of agro-chemical abuse. He also joined the group Digo Krishi Society and Bhakaro Reform Program. By 1993, Adhikari’s investment had paid off. His carrot plantation was especially successful for which he credits Bhakaro Reform Program that taught him various techniques of making organic fertilisers. In the subsequent years, his farm produced more crops than his neighbours' that used chemical fertilisers.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/biodynamic-agripreneurs">Biodynamic agripreneurs</a>, Sanjib Chaudhary Soon, he had people coming to him to learn about organic farming, including students from Rampur Campus. At a training program on organic agriculture in Kathmandu, Adhikari met Neupane once again. He gave him books on managing pests and manure via organic methods. It was after reading those books that Adhikari realised the real meaning of organic farming – one that is done without harming the environment and through the use of local resources and skills. “I started preparing fertilisers at home. The best ones were made by farming earthworms,” says Adhikari. “My method of farming organically was also recognised by the government following a soil test from the Nepal Institute of Science and Technology.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023040312044_5a390b9cb2cf6ea2ca8bcd94b86bc787a29aedc2624fa490ae735e24bf90b6b9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2023040312044_5a390b9cb2cf6ea2ca8bcd94b86bc787a29aedc2624fa490ae735e24bf90b6b9" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="800" loading="lazy" alt="organic farming in Nepal"> <figcaption>Chandra Adhikari harvesting honey.</figcaption> </figure>  Next, Adhikari stopped planting the crops in favour of sunflower oil seeds which is financially more beneficial, but by then he was running his farm just on insects and home-made pesticides. “My income has doubled since going organic and making my own pesticides.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/waste-to-value-with-biogas-in-nepal">Waste to value with biogas in Nepal</a> Adhikari also established an organic agriculture cooperative in 2013 which now serves as a learning centre for 230 farmers. For someone who was once on the verge of leaving farming, he is now known as ‘Organic Uncle’ for influencing many towards soil conservation. And for the past 13 years, Adhikari has also been involved in collecting rice seeds for future use. So far, he has collected 110 varieties which he has submitted to the National Gene Bank in Kathmandu.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023040312040_3abd0d0ab8560cd632b833b43ab8442a4d3d38ef4d196c5d165f37b5e5dd697e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2023040312040_3abd0d0ab8560cd632b833b43ab8442a4d3d38ef4d196c5d165f37b5e5dd697e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="800" loading="lazy" alt="organic farming in Nepal"> </figure>  “Rice varieties have been disappearing for generations,” says Adhikari. “Just as powerful nations have taken hold of fertilisers and various seeds, Nepal should be self-sufficient when it comes to rice seeds.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/corruption-and-nepal-s-chronic-fertiliser-crisis">Corruption and Nepal's chronic fertiliser crisis</a> After 35 years of organic farming, Adhikari sayslike how healthy mothers give birth to healthy babies, we need chemical-free soil for a good yield, which in turn is crucial for healthy living.&nbsp; Says Adhikari: “Organic farming needs patience, especially to revert all the damages previously done to the soil by chemicals. After that, there is nothing but prosperity for the farmers, there is no loss, and they are also healthier not having to handle all those toxins.”&nbsp;

The ‘Organic Uncle’ of Chitwan

She wakes up before dawn, throws away the blanket and heads quickly down to the cowshed, and promptly starts preparing the feed for her four cows.&nbsp; Already by 5AM the cows have been milked, the shed is cleaned, and the dung removed to the compost pit. Then by 7AM the milk is delivered to a collection centre 3km away. This has been Durga Karki’s morning routine for the past 13 years. In the afternoons, she tends to her leased vegetable patch where tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and radish are growing.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230402070424_0ba2834ee5238c876d92db3fbc7ecea2d0936502deda8635e724ad93ce8ec86c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230402070424_0ba2834ee5238c876d92db3fbc7ecea2d0936502deda8635e724ad93ce8ec86c" data-rendition-name="original" width="6436" height="4291" loading="lazy" alt="farmers in Nepal"> </figure>  “If I do not work, my family has nothing to eat,” says Karki, 59, who lives in Bharatpur of Chitwan. “I have to feed my children, send them to school and buy them new clothes.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/down-on-bishnus-farm">Down on Bishnu's farm</a>, Sahina Shrestha Karki took up farming after her alcoholic husband, who regularly beat her, disappeared for good one day. “I didn’t waste my time worrying over him, and put my efforts into raising my children all on my own,” she says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230402070432_82d4143df61a80a179547869091c0dde04c275b804cab1b9eb5a64c92085e613.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230402070432_82d4143df61a80a179547869091c0dde04c275b804cab1b9eb5a64c92085e613" data-rendition-name="original" width="6670" height="4447" loading="lazy" alt="nepali farmer"> <figcaption>CASHLESS CROP: Durga Karki spends over 12 hours a day tending to her cows and vegetable farm, but doesn't have enough funds to afford a gallbladder operation. She raised all her children on her own after her husband abandoned the family.All photos: SUMAN NEPALI</figcaption> </figure>  Of her five children, her oldest daughter is already married and another is studying journalism. The two younger daughters are in high school, and her youngest son is in Grade 5. Altogether, their tuition fees total Rs15,000 a month, and another Rs10,00 is spent on books, uniforms and school lunches. Then there is another Rs10,000 a month in household expenses. “There is so much expense but my only cash income is from milk. Vegetable farming has left me in debt,” explains Karki, who makes Rs50,000 a month selling milk. Even then, she spends Rs15,000 on cow feed and care, so there is not much savings. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/back-to-the-future-of-farming">Back to the future of farming</a>, Anil Chitrakar Durga took up vegetable farming hoping it would augment their income but she has been struggling. Most recently, she took a loan of Rs100,000 to plant cauliflowers in the plot, she made only Rs70,000. “I don’t think it is because I cannot farm or I’m down on my luck, vegetable farming just does not have the margins,” says Durga, who cites the low price of her produce in the market.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230402070432_c2833e92decfd40d30c679371d0c27443657b3a5b0b4cdb9105498a9c3dde75c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230402070432_c2833e92decfd40d30c679371d0c27443657b3a5b0b4cdb9105498a9c3dde75c" data-rendition-name="original" width="6436" height="4291" loading="lazy" alt="nepali farmer"> </figure>  Farmers in Chitwan are agitating against the low prices middlemen pay by dumping tomatoes, cabbages and other vegetables along the East-west Highway. Karki’s neighbour Narahari Prasad Kandel agrees: "If you don't sell them in time, they will spoil. When you do sell them, you don’t get a price that is worth the produce.” Kandel repeats the reason for the price drop: cheaper vegetable imports from India where farmers get subsidies for everything from seeds, fertilisers to diesel for irrigation pumps. In Nepal, the opposite is true. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/biodynamic-agripreneurs">Biodynamic agripreneurs</a>, Sanjib Chaudhary Back in the Karki household, the daughters help with the farm. She herself tends to her vegetable patch from 10AM to 7PM every day. And while they are struggling, the farm has also kept them together as a family. As a matriarch, Karki had tried to keep her hopes up that things would change. But lately, she has been plagued by doubts. She wonders if others in different professions also live their life as miserably, if they too cannot pay their debts, afford schooling and healthcare even after working over 12 hours a day.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230402070432_8da6a6d2c89f0103e3a795b6f5d38ffed6ab057a1b98cee0c48b0a540e8f4e43.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20230402070432_8da6a6d2c89f0103e3a795b6f5d38ffed6ab057a1b98cee0c48b0a540e8f4e43" data-rendition-name="original" width="6670" height="4447" loading="lazy" alt="nepali farmer"> </figure>  Now, she needs a gallbladder operation which she cannot afford, and her doubts about farming are deeper. She cannot lift heavy objects and physicians have told her to rest, but she cannot afford to do that either. “I’m sick because of all these years on the farm and yet I couldn’t even earn enough to treat my condition,” laments Karki, pouring out her anxiety to a visiting reporter. “I have told my children they shouldn’t become farmers.” Karki did reach out to a local agricultural extension centre which provided her with higher yield vegetable seeds, and new cultivation methods. This helped her yield but, once again, the market price was much lower than the investment. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/pigs-fly-and-fish-climb-trees">Pigs fly and fish climb trees</a>, Sahina Shrestha “We farmers just want our products to be sold and at a price that provides us with a living,” says Karki, who was given the run around by local government officials. Farmers in Chitwan have been agitating by staging street protests for fertilisers, irrigation and proper prices. Says agricultural expert Krishna Poudel: “We have been relying on Singha Darbar to act so far, but now there is no choice but for the local government to step in to solve the problems of their farmers once and for all.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230402070432_a1d85eddef7a12fa81fd20fe32f0333f5ab476918103d437dab89c89fbdc0a1c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20230402070432_a1d85eddef7a12fa81fd20fe32f0333f5ab476918103d437dab89c89fbdc0a1c" data-rendition-name="original" width="6493" height="4329" loading="lazy" alt="nepali farmer"> </figure>

“My children shouldn't be farmers”

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414110/63723c099c7e80680e0c95f7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>The Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development announced in May that Nepal would become agriculturally self-sufficient within a year. But the government’s budget, planning and practices in agriculture are inconsistent with its announcement.First of all, the basics are not right. We may have the inputs but not the know-how. The budgets for fiscal years 1921-22 and 1922-23 budgets predominantly focus on providing financial support to farmers rather than building a solid foundation. Last year’s budgets had allocated Rs7.6 billion out of Rs45 billion for concessional loans to farmers so they could buy agricultural inputs.However, there is no mention of training or technical assistance in the 2022-23 budget for inputs like soil quality checks, seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation, machinery, and labour. Without training and assistance, much of the input work will remain scattered and disorganised, leading to loans going to waste. Financial grants alone do not equip farmers with the necessary agronomy skills. Overlooking this need for training may result in low yields and reduced income, and overall low productivity. The government must consider serious capacity building for farmers and agribusinesses while making the financial support accessible.Second, there is no clear reason these days for a Nepali to get into farming. With the youth moving abroad and remittances flowing in, people have easy money for consumables, so there is little incentive to produce. Farming in Nepal is also risky due to lack of irrigation, erratic weather, low-quality seeds, infestation of pests, and a chronic shortage of fertilisers. The government first needs to find ways to lower these risks to make it worthwhile to farm or switch to commercial farming.Read more: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-less-and-less-able-to-feed-itself/">Nepal less and less able to feed itself</a>, Ramesh KumarThe previous budget had allocated production-based grants to be given to address such risk. The current budget arranges subsidies for the private sector in the processing work, and for textile industries using raw materials such as betel and banana leaf. Even so, there are no details of incentives for the private sector to come in. The government seems to have a ‘spray and pray’ approach to its fiscal duties in the agricultural sector.There is also lack of infrastructure and a pro-agricultural enterprise law and taxation system. Although there is limited access to finance, there is no significant investment from the government's side on the variables that really matter. The risks outweigh the benefits. As a result, this will prevent the sector from functioning at its optimum.Third, the budget does not recognise the impact commercialisation, and processing can have on the agricultural sector. Commercialisation can only be achieved with an increase in demand, which is what incentivises the farmers and producers. The government’s role is to use public money to prime the pump of the rising demand for Nepali produce and products by assisting with quality control, storage, transport and marketing.At present, there are no grants or subsidies for commercialisation except for crop insurance and leasing of land. A move to commercialisation is vital as it helps increase productivity, yield, and effective use of farmlands across Nepal.People will still be unwilling to farm without technical assistance and access to high-value crops, suppliers, and markets. The 2021/22 budget provided tax exemptions up to 50% on commercial agriculture income, and provisioned the commercialisation of apple farming in Manang, Jumla, and Mustang and commercial livestock farming in the Himalayan region. Despite this progress, the current budget does not address commercialization – it is one step forward, two steps back.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/corruption-and-nepals-chronic-fertiliser-crisis/">Corruption and Nepal’s chronic fertiliser crisis</a>, Kaustubh DhitalIn addition, the 2021/22 budget does not have loans, grants or subsidies allocated for the processing work along the value chain which is essential to turn crops to something that is easier to store and turn into marketable edibles – increasing the economic value and appeal of the agricultural products. The current budget, however, has increased credit flow for processing businesses especially for herbs, spices and apples. But there are no details on how the government will carry out any of these arrangements. Neither budgets consider post-harvest handling, storage, or conservation that come before the processing work on the value chain, making the processing element inefficient and less productive overall.Fourth, neither budgets help to satisfy domestic consumption or ease the process of exporting. To export, we need to have an excess. Domestic demand needs to be met before exporting abroad. Exports are important as they potentially provide a larger market and higher incomes for farmers, and incentivise them to produce more.Nepal’s 2021/22 budget did not address exports and the current one barely mentions it, although there is mention of exporting spices and herbs, without specifying how. Additionally, there are no export subsidies or exemptions on export tax. We are passing up a chance to uplift the agricultural sector by ignoring the potential for exports altogether.Nepal has only given lip service, and failed to treat the agricultural sector with the significance it deserves. The two budgets are inconsiderate and ignorant of what is required to develop the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector is responsible for about 30% of Nepal’s GDP. Yet, only Rs56 billion out of the Rs1,793 billion budget was allocated to agriculture and livestock development in the 2022/23 budget. If Nepal sees the agricultural sector as deserving of only 3% of its budget, this not only risks food security but also sets itself back years in terms of becoming agriculturally resilient, sustainable, and productive.There is a lack of a coherent strategy. The budgets overlook training, processing, commercialisation, incentives, and exports, all of which are aspects that are fundamental to making Nepal agriculturally self-sufficient. In this manner, we will continue spending money but fail to reap the benefits.Read more: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/farmers-not-benefiting-from-agricultural-grants-and-subsidies-in-Dolakha,2830">A grant failure</a>, Lokmani RaiJayant Basnyat was a summer 2022 intern in agricultural finance at SAFAL Partners, Kathmandu.

Nepal’s ‘spray and pray’ approach to agriculture

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fa99c7e80680e0c252ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1333"/><figcaption>A healthy, diverse natural forest in Chitwan with three vegetation layers. All phoos: LILA NATH SHARMA.</figcaption></figure>It was sunny afternoon in December in 2018, I was sitting on a pile of logs at the Janakalyan Community Forest Office in Nawalparasi, waiting for its chair Kabiram Bhandari. I had just finished a three-day survey in the forest that his community had protected since 1996.It had not been easy to formally manage and protect aforest on which villagers depended on for fodder and fuel. At that time, the forest was severely degraded due to Illegal felling, encroachment, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/protecting-nepals-forests-from-fires/">wildfires.</a>It took Bhandari, with support from the District Forest Office (DFO), 20 years to formally hand over the management of the forest to the local community. The logging mafia was livid, and he got multiple threats.With the declaration of the community forest, encroachment stopped, logging declined, villagers collectively controlled wildfires, and underserved communities at the edge of the jungle were provided access to forest products.Women and indigenous groups were represented in forest management, local institutions were strengthened and revenue from the sale of forest products were channeled into maintaining roads, water supply and supporting schools.This story of one community forest in Nawalparasi is shared by thousands of such locally protected forests around Nepal, and is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/who-now-owns-nepals-forests/">a success story</a> that has won international acclaim and contributed to Nepal’s forest area <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tree-mendous/">doubling in the past 25 years</a> through forest protection and restoration for biodiversity conservation though decentralised and participatory management.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fad9c7e80680e0c252bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Kabiram Bhandari arrived, smiling as usual, and asked if I had finished my assessment of his forest. I could sense that he was expecting an affirmation of his struggle to protect and manage his community forest.A forest is not just a clump of trees to count and measure their girth in cubic feet, and convert that at prevailing hardwood timber prices into rupees. A forest is a social, ecological and evolutionary organism. Instead of counting trees in a forests, my training in biodiversity made me count the number of species: how many of them are rare and threatened species of plants or animals, how many are non-native.The condition of a forest is different depending on what parameters we use to examine it. Tree data within a forest is therefore a manifestation of national priority of community forests, and in this case a report card for the effort of people like Kabiram Bhandari in Nawalparasi – and the paradoxical goals of protected and unprotected forests and Nepal.To protect, but how?Nepal’s community management of forests started with <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=12130#.YsmZvi9Q1CA">a few pilot projects in the late 1970s</a>, and was soon <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/community-forest-comes-in-handy-earthquake-reconstruction,2927">replicated nationwide</a> in later years. It has since been widely hailed as a model of forest protection and biodiversity conservation.However, the protectionist approach of forest management is also biased in favour of high value species to the detriment of varieties that are deemed or perceived to be of inferior value.The Dipad Community forest in Makawanpur district had recently been subjected to the much contested concept of ‘scientific forest management’. The custodians of the community forest regarded its shrubs, vines and climbers as not being ‘good’ for the forest. In fact, the undergrowth in this ‘scientifically managed’ forest was made up of only sal seedlings and saplings.Further east, the Jalthal Community Forest of Jhapa district looked more like a monoculture plantation of sal trees. “See, there are no bushes, no thorns,” said the management committee’s Chiranjibi Poudel.Be it Nawalparasi, Makawanpur, Jhapa or other other community managed forests of Nepal’s Tarai, the story is the same ­— the drive to protect sal at the cost of other species. There were fewer tree species with higher commercial value in them.In the Nawalparasi forest, for example, of the 141 tree trunks I measured, 133 were of sal. The other eight species were badkamle, kyamuna, siris and putalikath. Sal makes up 94% of the species also in other Tarai community forests, which are devoid of shrub or liana.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fb19c7e80680e0c252cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="624" height="416"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=12130#.YsmZvi9Q1CA">The greening of Nepal</a>, Marty LoganThe Jalthal Community Forest in Jhapa is a rectangular block 10 km long and 5.5 km wide, spanning about 6,000 hectares and located at the lowest elevation in Nepal. Jalthal is currently being managed by 22 community forest user groups and has biodiversity that is disproportionate to its physical area.Jalthal appears at first glance to be well conserved by communities. Encroachment by squatters and influential people has been stopped. Tree density has increased, with thicker canopy cover. There are fewer forest fires, poaching of wildlife and timber have been controlled. Collection of fuel and fodder is regulated, and revenue from the forest is invested in inclusive local development.The downside is that forest biodiversity has not been adequately protected, and degradation has continued. Invasive plants are affecting the indigenous vegetation of which there are only a handful of mature individuals left. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/">The critically endangered pangolin</a> is still being illegally hunted. Community forest management does not adequately consider these biodiversity aspects of protection.The very name Jalthal implies that the forest has wetlands within it, but not much priority is given to protecting these water bodies which support biodiversity. Wild stands of latahar tree found in Eastern Nepal and eastward up to Malaysia are being depleted, with an absence of its sapling layer.Tree density has increased, but with an overwhelming share of sal. The forest is therefore homogenising. Even old growth stands of sal have been modified to make them look like a plantation forest. Healthy forests are supposed to be mixed species, but the story of Nepal’s community forestry is one of selective protection of certain species to the detriment of others.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fb39c7e80680e0c252djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>A clean monoculture forest that looks like a plantation of exotic species is not what a community forest is supposed to be. Local people rely on forests daily for diverse products, with fodder being the most important. On typical day this spring, more than 2,000 people entered the Jalthal forest mostly for fodder and firewood.In the monsoon, over 500 people visit the forest everyday just to collect fiddlehead fern and other leafy vegetables.We found that people entered the forest for 12 types of products ranging from mushrooms to medicinal plants, edibles to timber.A ‘scientifically managed’ forest does not support these needs, and prioritises timber species for special protection. Liana like bhorla and bebre lahara and small trees like khasreto are not seen much anymore. Important fodder trees like kutmero, sadan and khanyu have declined. In fact, besides sal, there is a proliferation of eucalyptus and teak.Community forests are designed to support local needs, while managing and improving the vegetation. Given their multifunctional nature, Nepal’s community forests were supposed to promote diversity and coexistence of multiple species. Higher diversity entails wider ecosystem services and resilience.Managing forests only for timber overlooks the dependence of local people for a wider spectrum of ecosystem services. Besides timber, high value introduced medicinal plants are also the focus of forest management like lemon grass and citronella, turmeric oil to bio briquette, rhododendron juice to paper plates.Promoting enterprise and generating income is not a bad thing in itself, but this cannot be done at the expense of protecting an indigenous forest. I have seen a dozen or so community forests where local people have benefited from these new forest products, but only from daily wages, not to fulfil their traditional needs. Promotion of fodder trees, for example, would have been much more useful.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fb69c7e80680e0c252ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>How we understand a forest shapes our management objectives, decisions and routine activities.What was the original goal of Nepal’s community forestry program? Why have forests in the Tarai and elsewhere adopted similar management methods irrespective of local conditions and needs?Out definition of a forest seems to be restricted to having as many high value trees and medicinal plants as possible. There is rarely any attention paid to preserving biodiversity. The status of a forest does not just depend on a tree census, but past management of community sal forests focused mainly on maintaining or increasing tree density and cover. A ‘successful’ forest was one with increased density of sal, overlooking the forest as a complex ecosystem.Preferential protection of sal is an outcome of our policies and worldview on forests that treats a forest only as an economic resource, not an ecological treasure. The result is promotion of only high value species, be it timber or herbs, and overlooks wider spectrum of forest ecosystem services.Hariyo Ban Nepal ko Dhan was a popular slogan in Nepal’s forestry development in the 1980s. The word dhan ended up monetising forests. A new motto now is Ban Marfat Samriddi (prosperity through forests)and this is the thinking that has turned forests into a resource to be mined for timber.Nepal’s decade-long scientific forest management initiative was finally abandoned last year, but not before it hailed regeneration density in logged areas as a success, even when it was found that the original forest had been replaced by sal saplings. Treated blocks were poorer in species diversity compared to the original forests.The original conservation-oriented approach of forest management in community forests focused on retaining trees, and increasing crown and tree density. But the increase in density of the common most structural species was an outcome of the preferential protection by both Forest Department and user groups.A native sal forest is truly diverse in its associated flora and fauna with at least three vertical layers of vegetation. The canopy later has the taller trees, medium-sized trees make up the sub-canopy layer, and then there are shrubs and grasses in the forest floor which changes with the seasons.In tropical forests, liana, vines and climbers make up another important component, with some of them woody, massive and long lived – mainly in sal riverine forests. Old growth trees also support orchids and ferns with some sal supporting as many as seven species of orchids. Some trees have up to four species of ferns.Old growth forests are also rich habitats for birds, amphibians, reptiles and many insects like beetle and spiders. Old trees have cavities in the trunks and branches which shelter for animals like monitor lizards, owls, wood peckers, parrots and hornbills. Higher up in the food chain are the bigger mammals. Diversity in vegetation entails diversity in fauna as well.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/protecting-nepals-forests-from-fires/">Protecting Nepal’s forests from fires</a>, Dev Narayan Mandal<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413118/63722fba9c7e80680e0c252fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Nepal’s forests are multipurpose, and people depend on them for a range of direct and indirect products. A sal is itself a multipurpose tree. A mixed and diverse forest not only delivers multiple services we need, but also has higher resilience to cope with climate uncertainty and plays a vital role in meeting food security.Today’s high value timber forest could not be further removed from the concept of what a natural forest should be. But it also has to be said that without community management, even these forests would probably be degraded and encroached.Our forests need to reflect the need to adapt to the climate emergency, and not just meet the economic needs of communities and the nation. We should build on Nepal’s community forestry success to restore natural woodlands.We therefore need to reimagine our forests. How an ecologist regards a forest is different from how an economist sees it. Nevertheless, sustainable forest management can balance diversity with meeting the need for revenue.This means conserving a forest with original biodiversity that also meets local needs. Such a forest would be diverse enough to sustain a wide spectrum of biota. Maintaining diversity does not cost more, in fact it protects Nepal’s natural wealth for this and future generations.Lila Nath Sharma has PhD in ecology from University of Bergen Norway and is with ForestAction Nepal.

Safeguarding the soul of sal

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413110/63722ea49c7e80680e0c24d5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2667" height="1500"/><figcaption></figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/climate-change-affects-himalayan-rice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">annual paddy planting</a> season is upon us, and the sculpted contours of rice terraces mirror the clouds as farmers wade into the submerged fields.Across Nepal on Wednesday communities came together knee-deep in mud to transplant the first paddy seedlings on watered terraces.There was traditional mud splashing, much singing and dancing to Nepali folk tunes and a traditional feast of dahi chiura as they celebrated the beginning of this year's rice cycle that is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/monsoon-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">interwoven with the Valley's festivals</a>.This golden hour drone photo of Balkhu (above) strikingly juxtaposes the urban sprawl that has encroached on land owned by Tribhuvan University and currently farmed by locals. Some of these plots are gradually being used to construct new buildings and modern facilities for university students. The lower part of this photo shows what Kathmandu Valley looked like during monsoon paddy plantation in the past decades.The other aerial photos capture <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-sets-ambitious-target-for-food-sufficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rice planting</a> along the Bagmati in Khokana (below). These are the last few remaining patches of paddy that remain untouched by Kathmandu's relentless urban expansion.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413110/63722ea79c7e80680e0c24d6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1046"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413110/63722eab9c7e80680e0c24d7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413110/63722eaf9c7e80680e0c24d8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1125" height="2000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413114/63722eb39c7e80680e0c24d9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2629" height="1500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413114/63722eb79c7e80680e0c24dajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111413114/63722ebb9c7e80680e0c24dbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1778" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Further away from the fields, there are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/home-is-where-the-heart-is/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increasing numbers of settlements</a> and brick factories nearby. The kilns fire moulds of fertile clay deposits of Kathmandu's pre-historic lake to feed the voracious appetite for bricks from buildings that now stand on the former rice fields.The fertile terrace farms of Khokana are disputed, with the government trying to evict farmers to make way for the Kathmandu-Terai expressway.

TERRACES

It is that time of the year again when farmers across the country are busy on flooded terraces, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-marks-rice-planting-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">transplanting rice seedlings</a>, sling mud, singing and dancing to folk tunes, and celebrating the occasion.Unlike in the past, however, National Paddy Planting Day (on 29 June this year) is no longer the optimal time to plant the first saplings. Erratic monsoon, irregular rain leading to too much water or too little due to the climate crisis has meant that farmers are now confused about when to plant paddy.Water sources including natural springs have also started drying up right across the Himalayan foothills. Villagers do not have sufficient water even for their households, let alone agriculture.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223279c7e80680e0c0337jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/><figcaption>All photos: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/6372232a9c7e80680e0c0338jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Last year Nepal was expected to record its highest annual rice harvest given the early start to the monsoon only for most of the standing crop being destroyed in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/post-monsoon-rain-ruins-nepals-crops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unseasonal post-monsoon cloudbursts</a> in October.“We don’t get rain like we used to which was most suitable for farming, it doesn’t rain on time and when it does it pours,” says Krishna Prasad Adhikari, a farmer in Lumle. “The winds are also stronger and it is hotter to farm during the day.”Kasnath Neupane from Sundarinanda village has a similar experience: “We are now planting paddy about a month later than we used to. If rainfall patterns continue to be this erratic our planting schedule will have to be pushed by 3-4 months.”<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/6372232d9c7e80680e0c0339jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223309c7e80680e0c033ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Locals have also seen a declining trend in the number of native rice breeds and fear they might be disappearing. Even in Pokhara, which grows Nepal’s most famous indigenous <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-rise-of-rice-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">varieties of rice</a>, farmers have noticed the change, particularly the loss of the distinctive aroma which makes the rice variety so special.New plant diseases have added to the problem, wiping out entire harvests. This and the additional challenges posed by climate change are making farmers dependent on rain-fed agriculture losing their very livelihood and becoming poorer.“Back in the day my father could feed an entire family of almost 10 members and still had a surplus to sell in the market but I can barely grow enough for four people,” adds Adhikari.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223339c7e80680e0c033bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223369c7e80680e0c033cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">The only alternative left for many farmers here in Central Nepal’s mountains is to <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Recharging-the-mountains,3465" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">migrate to India, the Gulf or Malaysia</a> for better economic opportunities. But as young men move out of the country, there is no one left to till the land, adding to the decline of agro-productivity.The good news is that locals in the villages of Kaski district are saving their local varieties of rice. They have set up a community seed bank to preserve seeds of local varieties that would last them several years with assistance from the Local Initiative for Biodiversity Research and Development (LI-BIRD).“Our local rice like Jethobudo, Gurdi, Darmali, Mansara, Manamri and Ghaiiya are on the verge of extinction but because of this seed bank we have managed to revive some of them including Jethobudo, Paheli and Mansuli,” says Homnath Neupane from Sundaridanda village.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/6372233a9c7e80680e0c033djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Farmers have also been spreading awareness about planting local seeds over hybrid varieties which in their experience have a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/nepals-rice-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">higher yield</a>, but do not have the same capability to survive against diseases.Farmers here have also developed a mobile app to disseminate information about preserving and promoting local seeds of different crops. There are agriculture centres in each village which communicate with each other. There is also a radio program called Chautari which is a reliable source of information for the farmers.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/6372233d9c7e80680e0c033ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223409c7e80680e0c033fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">LI-BIRD has been working with farmers from more than 3,000 households in the Sindhupalchok and Kaski district to scale-up climate-resilient agriculture by promoting crop diversity, improving soil health, conserving water all the while maximising the utilisation of local resources. The project is aimed at building the resilience of smallholder, indigenous and women farmers.Recently LI-BIRD jointly with National Agriculture Research Council and Bioversity International registered five varieties of rice for their conservation, including Rato Anadi, Paheley, Ekley, Kaalo Jhinuwa and Bayerni.“Now the source of these seeds will be preserved,” says Pratikshya Thapa of LI-BIRD, which also works to archive vegetables, millet, yams and medicinal herbs.As farmers marked Paddy Day here on Wednesday, there was concern about how the climate crisis is affecting weather and crop patterns. They have adapted by changing their way of farming based on local knowledge and community effort. The need is now for the government to backstop them with technical know-how and financial support.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223439c7e80680e0c0340jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">“There is no insurance in agriculture. We only ask the government to either provide us alternatives or insure our investment in growing food,” says Adhikari. “We want to learn about more farming methods and crops that can resist the<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/first-drought-then-downpour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> impact of climate change</a>.”Just this week on 28 June, based on extensive research the Agriculture Division of the Pokhara Municipality introduced minimum selling prices for 23 crops, vegetables and fruits to help farmers.By setting a minimum selling price, farmers are protected from fluctuating market trends, they can sell at the price set or higher to the customers or approach the Division where vendors will pay the aforementioned price. If the market price is lower than the minimum selling price, the government will pay the vendor to cover the difference.“Agriculture is a sector where farmers suffer right from the seeds to market, from hailstorms to monkey attacks,” says Manahar Kadariya of the Division. “These measures intend to preserve the locally grown crops as well as enhance the livelihoods of farmers.”Another major challenge is the youth moving away from the land. There is an intergenerational disruption in farming.Adds Krishna Prasad Adhikari: “We need to improvise our education system to also include agriculture in the curriculum. Technological advances in farming and institutional support can help revive agriculture in Nepal.”<h3>High and dry in Jumla</h3>At 2,514m, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/himalayan-red-rice-is-red-hot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jumla district in western Nepal grows rice </a>at some of the highest elevations in the world. It is the home to the famous Marsi rice but increasingly these indigenous crops are affected by the climate crisis.This has added to food insecurity in a traditionally grain deficit area. Farmers are having to plant crops at higher altitudes for better yield, but they are also vulnerable to new diseases and pests. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/red-rice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jumli Marsi</a> in particular has been found to be more susceptible to the blast disease.Under its Evolutionary Plant Breeding project, LI-BIRD is working to mix the strengths of different varieties of seeds to develop climate resilient and high performing varieties for future generations.An evolutionary population can be formed segregating seed varieties. Sometimes, varieties having similar functional traits can be mixed turning the static seeds into dynamically evolving populations. Farmers can then select desirable varieties which have higher genetic diversity.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114121112/637223479c7e80680e0c0341jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">“Due to climate change, some of the varieties that were performing better are now more prone to diseases, insects, and pests,” says team leader Shree Prasad Neupane. “We aim to breed seeds that are more stable in production, less prone to diseases and higher in nutritional values.”Local farmers have also noticed that while non-local improved seeds do result in higher yield in certain parts of the year, this is not consistent. But seeds bred with evolutionary methods have adapted to changing conditions and can also withstand diseases better.But it is not just the quantity that matters in these rugged mountains of western Nepal. Historically neglected by the state, Jumla and surrounding districts are lowest in the human development index in Nepal, with a high rate of malnutrition among marginal and small-hold farmers.Which is why protecting varieties rich in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-superfoods-of-the-andes-and-the-himalaya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nutritional values</a> like Jumli Marsi is even more important. New hybrid seeds lack important micronutrients.Evolutionary Plant Breeding is also different because it empowers farmers to select the varieties for breeding based on their experience and local knowledge. Communities themselves are breeding the most resilient varieties against production instability, diseases and lack of nutrition, all the problems exacerbated by the climate crisis.Adds Shree Prasad Neupane: “Farmers decide where to plant the seeds and which seeds to plant, which one is better to retain and multiply. And we leave the rest to nature to choose the most suitable one for the subsequent generations.”Erica WuRead more: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/agroecology-nepals-answer-to-climate-change/">Agroecology, Nepal’s answer to climate change</a>, Zachary BartonNobel Rimal helped with this report.

Climate change hits Himalayan rice

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111412114/637220f49c7e80680e0c0292jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="700"/><figcaption>Motorcyclists queued in front of a petrol pump fearing shortage after businesses stopped transport of petrol. Photo: Amit Machamasi</figcaption></figure>The Covid-19 pandemic <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/economic-cost-of-5-months-of-nepal-lockdown/">adversely impacted the global production</a> and supply chain. Rising food prices reversed decades-long gains in poverty alleviation, pushing millions around the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/covid-19-affecting-food-security-in-nepal-wfp/">world into food insecurity</a>.Global recovery has been uneven with economic growth concentrated in some major economies, and most developing countries and emerging markets lagging behind.Nepal’s agriculture, infrastructure, construction, industry, tourism, supply chain and other service sectors have been  been hit hard. Hundreds of thousands have <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/half-of-nepalis-lost-jobs-in-past-month/">lost their jobs</a>, especially daily wage workers, small and medium enterprises, as well as marginalised and economically disadvantaged communities, pushing them deeper into poverty.And just as the worst of the pandemic and the economic collapse was over, the global economy was shaken off course by <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/ukraine-crisis-hits-nepal-economy-hard/">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine</a>, with the effects reverberating across the world and in Nepal. Experts are concerned that any economic recovery program, weakened by the global pandemic and war, will be largely ineffective.A recent research conducted by the Policy Research Institute on the policies, tactics and strategies adopted by developed countries in pandemic management has found that the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/ukraine-crisis-hits-nepal-economy-hard/">Ukraine crisis</a> has increased the trade deficit and depleted foreign exchange reserves of developing nations like Nepal. Indeed, Nepal <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-living-beyond-its-mean/">depends heavily on the import</a> of <a href="http://Read also: State-sponsored economic crisis, Editorial">food</a> grains, crude oil, medicine, fossil fuel, motor parts, and other commodities.Sri Lanka continues to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/how-not-to-be-a-sri-lanka/">reel under an economic crisis</a> brought on by the country having adopted some of the worst economic policies for decades, and exacerbated by the decline of foreign exchange reserves due to the loss of tourism and remittance during the pandemic.Sri Lanka’s foreign debt is now 110% of its domestic production, while its revenue only makes up 9% of its GDP. Its fiscal deficit stands at 11%. Almost half of the assigned government spending has gone towards paying off the country’s loans, and it is not in any position to take more loans to pay off what it owes. Increase in agricultural imports has also adversely impacted foreign exchange reserves.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/state-sponsored-economic-crisis/">State-sponsored economic crisis</a>, EditorialNepal also has <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/how-not-to-be-a-sri-lanka/">much to learn</a> from the effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the Sri Lankan experience to develop a clear roadmap for its economic recovery. Here are some recommendations:<ul><li>Maintaining food security within the country by reducing and replacing agricultural imports.</li> 	<li>Reducing fossil fuel imports, increasing hydropower production and capacity, and becoming self-reliant in the energy sector.</li> 	<li>Diversifying foreign currency to improve Nepal’s foreign reserves.</li></ul>Although the Covid crisis had accelerated the decade-long decline of Nepal’s industry and service sectors, the agricultural sector seems to have some external influences on the economy. This signifies the need for <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-less-and-less-able-to-feed-itself/">agricultural independence</a> to make Nepal self-sufficient in food, lessen the impact of inflation, reduce the pressure on Nepal’s foreign reserves and strengthen the economy.The government needs to direct attention to the commercialisation of the agricultural sector. Nepal needs sufficient infrastructure to strengthen the supply of farm produce, the key for this is cooperation between the government and private sector to create competitive markets . Any agricultural  policy must encourage private investment.It is entirely possible for Nepal to reduce its trade deficit by <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/aid-rarely-aids-agriculture-in-nepal/">increasing agricultural productivity</a>.  The government must establish small and medium industries that can capitalise on   comparatively advantageous indigenous products, and facilitate such industries through easy access to agricultural finance and economic aid. As such, agricultural cooperatives also have an important role to play.To increase agricultural exports, Nepal must fully exploit and expand access to currently available trade concessions and duty-free markets before it is upgraded from the Least Developed Countries in the next five years. It will have to move towards making use of the various concessions and duty-free markets available in its current status.Nepal must also focus on trade negotiations and economic diplomacy by making maximum use of bilateral and multilateral talks and regional forums.Nepal’s <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-remittances-forex-reserves-drop/">foreign exchange reserves</a> have also been affected by skyrocketing fossil fuel prices due to global supply chain disruptions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the consumer price index is likely to rise as well.According to the Nepal Rastra Bank, petroleum products accounted for 13.6% of the total imports in the first seven months of the 2021 fiscal year, with prices soaring that much be higher now.Nepal must now adopt policies to increase the production and use of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/from-a-fossil-past-to-an-electric-future/">renewable energy</a>, to reduce fuel consumption, combat climate change, and control air pollution. Initiatives should be taken to facilitate the sale of surplus electricity to energy markets in India and Bangladesh.An independent energy sector could prove to be an appropriate long-term national security strategy. The use of household electrical appliances and vehicles should be increased to encourage production of renewable energy.Read also: <a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/state-sponsored-economic-crisis/">State-sponsored economic crisis</a>, EditorialSunday’s budget speech by the Finance Minister has shown that the government is set to take steps to move into the use of electric infrastructure — beginning with a discontinuation of LPG gas at Singha Darbar, which will consequently be rolled out across Nepal’s major cities.  More than Rs75 billion in the budget has been earmarked for the energy sector.Attention must also be directed towards necessary infrastructure for power transmission. The maximum utilisation of the recently approved Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC) must be a way forward. There is also a need for major reforms in existing climate policies.According to NRB's seven-month data for the current fiscal year, the reserves of the banking sector can support little more than seven months of goods imports, and less than seven months of goods and services imports. It is thus important to divert foreign exchange resources to sectors other than tourism and remittances.Foreign direct investment can be a sustainable source of foreign exchange for Nepal. A 2021 study conducted by the Policy Research Institute on foreign direct investment had emphasised on the need to integrate and align regulatory mechanisms to create an environment for a sustainable agricultural sector.Foreign investment would also stimulate domestic capital once Nepal’s credit rating is bumped up after it is upgraded from the list of Least Developed Countries in 2026. That would provide new opportunities for Nepal in resource mobilisation in the international capital market.It is necessary for Nepal to move forward beyond a remittance and tourism-oriented economy and explore possibilities in the agricultural, energy, and other sectors.  For this, co-operation between the government and private sector is key.Read more: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/from-a-fossil-past-to-an-electric-future/">From a fossil past to an electric future</a>, Om Astha RaiKalpana Khanal is the head of the Center for Economic and Infrastructure Development Policy Studies at the Policy Research Institute. Adapted by Shristi Karki from the May issue of Himal monthly magazine.

agriculture