Vegetable seed project to fight poverty

Promotion of Vegetable Seed for Poverty Reduction is going to be extended from the existing 11 district to 17 from 2011.

The project aims to preserve local vegetable seeds, increase their production and market them effectively to meet the national demand.

The current demand of vegetable seeds in Nepal is 1,750 metric tonnes, which is estimated to increase by 30 metric tonnes annually.

The first phase of the project had begun in 2004 for three years with the objective of reducing poverty through quick income generation.

The second phase has been running since 2006 for five years. It ends this December.

The third phase will begin from January 2011 to 2014.

The project will provide options for income generation and sustainable economic growth to farmers of remote and conflict-hit areas so as to contribute to poverty reduction and local development, said Indra Raj Pandey, project coordinator, PVSPR.

Pandey made it clear that the third round of the project would also be based on quantity increment for export purpose.

“Currently, the second phase of the project is on in 11 districts — Ramachhap, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Dolakha, Kavre, Surkhet, Dailekh, Salyan, Jajarkot, Dadeldhura and Baitadi.”

In the third phase, the project will be extended to six more districts, namely, Dolpa, Parbat, Myagdi, Achham, Rukum and Kalikot.

According to Pandey, the seed produced in Nepal can fulfil only 50 per cent of the demand, while the other 50 per cent is imported from neighbouring countries.

“A survey revealed that 680 metric tonnes of vegetable seeds were imported from India and China in the last fiscal year, where 50 metric tonnes were hybrid seeds,” informed Pandey.

During the first phase, the project had included 3,600 households of five districts where seed production was 240 metric tonnes, which earned Rs 36 million.

Likewise, the second phase included 7,200 households in 11 districts, which produced 462 metric tonnes of seeds and has earned Rs 70 million till date.

Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development is implementing the project with financial support from Swiss Development Cooperation.