Organic agriculture project in Nepal: An international twinning partnership program initiative

Abstract

Agriculture is the major occupation in Nepal, contributing 32% of total gross domestic product (GDP) and 75% of the country's exports. The traditional way of farming using low inputs (inorganic fertilizers and pesticides) provides opportunities to adopt organic farming for diversified crops, with potential domestic markets and export markets in Japan and Europe. With a goal of improving the livelihood of rural ethnic marginalized farmers of the mid-western hill of Nepal, an international development project was started through a joint effort of the Agricultural Institute of Canada (AIC), Sustainable Agriculture Development Program (SADP) Nepal, the Canadian Society of Agronomy (CSA) and the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science (CSHS). The project, entitled "Research and support to organic agriculture in Tanahu district of Nepal", commenced in April 2010. Canadian team members visited Nepal in December 2009 and 2010. To date, the project has successfully strengthened the organizational capacity of the lead organization (SADP, Nepal), conducted a baseline assessment study in the project area, assessed the potential domestic market for organic product, promoted organic farming among the ethnic marginal farmer groups (Kumal and Darai), and identified and established a strong collaborative project link with the agricultural university and scientific societies of Nepal. A proposed further 5-yr (2011 to 2016) project aims to change the traditional subsistent farming to commercial organic farming in the target area and aims to improve the livelihood of the farmers through better income generation from organic farming. The project will include scientific research on organic farming led by the Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal, in collaboration with other scientific societies of Nepal. The CSA and CSHS will provide technical input, advice for the project, and monitor and supervise the project progress.