The Nepal Horticulture Promotion Centre (NHPC), in collaboration with Manakamana Training and Skills Development Institute, successfully organized the Provincial Level Validation/Findings Sharing Workshop of the Research on the identification of vegetable crops that reduce imports and increase self-reliance in the Madhesh Pradesh of Nepal.

Supported by Swisscontact’s Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) programme and in coordination with the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Madhesh Pradesh (MoLMAC), the event took place on the 14th ofJune, 2023 at the National Rice Research Program in Hardinath, Dhanusha.

The workshop served as a platform to present and discuss the extensive research findings conducted in Madhesh Pradesh. Dr. Namrata Singh, Secretary of MoLMAC, graced the event as the chief guest. She emphasized her commitment to enhance the vegetable crop scenario in Madhesh, reducing imports, and enacting policy regulations to strengthen self-reliance.

The Senior Economist, Dr. Prahlad Kumar Thapa of NHPC addressed the workshop, and presented comprehensive research findings that highlighted the existing gaps invegetable imports in the Madhesh Pradesh. The presentation also delved into demand analysis, providing valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers to strategize sustainable solutions.

The main strategies emphasized include focus vegetable production in peri-urban areas and in interior parts that have road access, Introduction of new high-yielding varieties, improved production practices, timely availability of fertilisers and plant protection materials, and irrigation, Increase of cropping intensity by providing short duration crops and vegetable varieties to catch production seasons effectively supported by timely supply of material inputs, irrigation and appropriate tools and equipment to save labour time.

Similarly, it also discussed reduce post-harvest losses by improving the techniques of harvesting, hauling to packaging yard, cleaning, grading, packaging, storage and transportation by farmers and by improving vegetable handling process during marketing by wholesalers and retailers.

Reduce vegetable trade-deficit by reducing import from India and promoting export to India by solving the problems faced in vegetable trade with India.

Improving marketing management by providing proper marketing yards and structures, water and electricity at the wholesale and bigger retail markets; by providing stalls, proper transit storage and garbage management system in the retail markets; and by providing transit storage, security, loading and unloading platforms and price information at the market centres.

The Head of Portfolio and Quality from CASA Manish Bikram Shah expressed gratitude to the research organization, relevant stakeholders, and participants for their valuable contributions to the successful completion of the research study and the subsequent findings of the sharing workshop. The event marked a significant milestone in the collective efforts to foster self-reliance and sustainable agricultural practices in Madhesh Pradesh.

The workshop fostered collaboration, knowledge exchange, and future planning, marking a significant step towards promoting self-reliance and sustainable agricultural practices in Madhesh. MoLMAC expressed its commitment in implementing the findings and recommendations of the research.