The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will extend a loan and grant of
US$39 million to the Government of Nepal to finance the Improved Seeds for Farmers Programme (Kisankalagi Unnat Biu-Bijan Karyakram in Nepali) with the goal of promoting inclusive, competitive and sustainable agricultural growth. Madhu Marasaini, Joint Secretary, Foreign Aid Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance of the Government of Nepal, and Benoit Thierry, IFAD Country Portfolio Manager for Nepal, signed the financing agreement. Although there have been significant improvements in Nepal’s poverty level in recent years, it is still considered a food insecure country. Poverty is significantly higher in rural areas where 85 percent of the country’s population live. The majority of rural women and men rely on agriculture as their main source of food, employment and income. Migration now affects more than half of all Nepalese families, with two million workers abroad, their remittances contribute for 22 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. This has led to women increasingly taking responsibility for both household and farm management.The programme is a joint venture between the government of Nepal and IFAD to strengthen improved seed and smallholder livestock production and distribution by creating partnerships between small farmer organizations and the private sector.Through these partnerships, private seed companies will contract farmers group to produce “truthfully labelled” or quality-assured seeds for cereals and vegetables. The aim is to increase the incomes of about 150,000 poor rural households in six districts: Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, Pyuthan, Gulmi and Arghakhanci. Poor women, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups are expected to benefit from the programme. It is estimated that rural women will make up more than half of all beneficiaries.The other component of the programme will support smallholder livestock commercialization in goat breeding and dairy production. This will include attention to breed improvement, nutrition and management, veterinary services development, farmer training, and market linkage development.
#SustainableAgriculturalGrowth #AgricultureDevelopment
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Publisher:
IFAD
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(2012
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Type / Script:
Press Release
in English
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Keywords:
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURAL ECOLOGY, AGRICULTURAL PLANNING, AGRICULTURAL POLICY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, LOWER INPUT AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIVESTOCK, RURAL WOMEN, FOOD, NUTRITION, AGRICULTURAL GROWTH, FARM MANAGEMENT
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Thematic Group:
IFAD
:
International Fund for Agricultural Development
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Thesaurus:
04.01.01
- Agricultural Economics And Policy; Rural Sociology
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Reference Link:
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