Credit has been considered to play a pivotal role in the agricultural development of Nepal. A large number of institutions are involved in the disbursement of credit to agriculture. In this backdrop, the present study has examined the performance of agricultural credit and has identified the determinants of increased use of credit at the farm household level in Nepal. The study was based on survey data consisting of 107 samples collected randomly from the Chitwan district. The study has revealed that the quantum of credit availed by the farming households is affected by several socio-demographic factors which include caste, economically active population, food sufficiency, and membership in an organization. The research revealed that if the household is Brahmin/ Chettri, the probability of borrowing loans decreased by 32% as compared to other castes. Similarly, if the household’s economically active population increased by one unit, the probability of taking a loan increased by 16%. The results also show that, if household food sufficiency increased by one month the probability of taking loans decreased by 4 % but if the household head is a member of an organization, the probability of taking a loan increased by 28%. The congenial environment to increase the involvement of the household head to an organization like cooperative and farmers group, increasing the food self-sufficiency through productivity enhancement program and creating awareness on credit utilization helps to increase credit use performance in Agriculture.
This study examined status of adoption of improved maize varieties in Nepal. Six hundred eighty two households were sampled from six districts namely Sindhupalchowk, Lalitpur, Khotang, Dang, Chitwan and Dadeldhura. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics. The results indicated that the slow growth rate of area, production and yield was around 2.7% p.a. and growth rate is moreover stagnant rate from 1990-2015. Adoption of modern variety was found to be 75% of household. Mean area of maize cultivation in Nepal is 0.431 ha/HH. Only seven improved variety were adopted in large scale and they were adopted in 70.60% of maize cultivating areas. Improved variety Rampur composite, Mankamana-3 and Deuti and Hybrid CP 808 were found to be highly adopted. While CP 808, Shrestha and Rajkumar hybrids were dominating hybrids. Age of household head, Caste, Migration, credit accessibility, cooperative involvement, extension visit, training, formal sector seed availability and knowledge about agricultural insurance were found positive factors affecting adoption of modern variety of maize. However education and livestock numbers found negatively contribute to adoption.
Outmigration has been considered a major issue in agricultural production of Nepal. The study aimed to assess migration and remittance status and its effect on maize production. Altogether 682, both migrated and non-migrated households were selected using proportionate random sampling from six representative districts covering four provinces and all ecological domains of Nepal. Primary data were collected through households' survey and focus group discussion using structured and pretested interview schedule. The results showed that 26 percent of households have at least one member living abroad for a job opportunity. Most of the migration was male-centric and Chitwan district ranked first among study districts on migration status. About 43 percent of households received more than two hundred thousand annually as remittance and mostly they used that money in household consumption followed by education and loan repayment. Around 54 percent of households agreed that they were using remittances in maize farming mainly for purchasing chemical fertilizer and improved seed. The use of remittance income in mechanization such as buying/using of corn sheller and power tiller was comparatively very less. The results showed insignificant maize productivity but the fallow land holdings of the migrated household were significantly higher than non-migrating households. The issue of migration and fallow land holdings in maize has become an emerging concern to development worker and policy makers. Therefore, the introduction of efficient maize production system along with value addition program that linked with market targeting youth manpower is an urgent need for effective utilization of fallow land. Moreover, such opportunity also provides an avenue to the productive investment of remittance.
Farmers have a set of convictions and tend to do what their forefathers had practiced. By identifying their beliefs and designing appropriate ways of upscaling to convince them of new and improved practices, we can improve the adoption of zero tillage technology for maize and wheat. Small and fragmented landholdings that resulted from the cultural system of distributing land to heirs are diverse in their cropping requirements. Moreover, farmers are risk-averse and do not believe easily in new technologies. Traditional extension approaches have not been effective in upscaling these technologies. A new way of thinking based on behavioural science can provide some insights and guidelines for improving the effectiveness of technology adoption. Understanding farmers' socioeconomic circumstances and their decision-making system at the household and society level can help in designing upscaling approaches. Approaches such as capitalising on social bonding, use of established technology leaders, and use of farmers' organizations can improve adoption. Recommended strategies include encouraging a comprehensive contracting system of service provision, using active community influential local leaders in technology expansion, taking group and social identity approaches in technology extension, and capacity building programs for service providers/operators and farmers to help raise confidence and to remove perceived barriers to technology adoption.
The milk and milk products are diversified and there is increasing awareness about the quality standards of products among the consumers.Therefore this study reviewed the legal standard of milk and common milk Products in Nepal and its implications using desk review and exploratory research.In Nepal, the department of food technology and quality control has developed several legal standards for the quality assurance of milk and milk products. National Dairy Development Board has established the Code of Practice for Dairy Industry 2004 which directs six criteria for the standardization of milk and milk products like Organoleptic test, Clot On Boiling (COB) test, Alcohol Test,Fat test and Solids-Not-Fat (SNF)test, Adulteration test, phosphate test, and microbial and coliform test. The review identified the quality standards of milk products like ghee, butter, paneer, milk powders but some quality parameters for ice-creams and cheese are still missing. The research identifies the quality non-compliance rate of milk and milk products that is about 19% which is in a decreasing trend. To the effective implementation of the legal standards, maintenance of health and hygiene of livestock at the production site, lab and infrastructure support at the distribution site, and creating consumer awareness to the consumer site is imperative.
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