July 18-19, 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal – Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Nepal Agriculture and Research Council (NARC) launched their collaboration to bring vital climate relevant agricultural technologies to thousands of farmers in Nepal. Agriculture contributes to about one-third of gross domestic product (GDP) in Nepal and provides employment to 74% of the population. However, changing weather and climate patterns like heavy rainfall, drought, hailstones, etc. impose challenges to agriculture production. To safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and ensure food security, it is imperative to embrace farming practices that can adapt to these changing patterns. These innovative and resilient approaches are collectively known as Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices.
The project titled, “Building Climate Resilience and Reintegrating Economically Displaced Workers Through Climate Smart Agriculture in the Terai Flood Plains Nepal’ is being implemented by GGGI with funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Implemented in Madhesh Province of the Terai Floodplain region of Nepal, the project aims to support widespread adoption of climate-smart agricultural technologies with the aim to reduce vulnerability and improve food and job security, especially for women, youth and migrant workers who returned from abroad.
As an initial step in the project, GGGI together with NARC listed out a range of proven CSA technologies for different crops such as rice, wheat, maize, lentil, and vegetables, which are well-suited for the region. By combining the expertise of GGGI and NARC and harnessing the potential of CSA technologies, the CSA Project in Madhesh Province aims to empower farmers, enhance agricultural resilience, and contribute to sustainable development in the region. As part of their collaboration, both parties have mutually agreed to focus on implementing the top 10 to 15 CSA technologies in the initial year of the project. These selected technologies are specifically chosen for their relevance to the Madhesh province and will be jointly promoted.
“With its well-crafted implementation modality, this project sets the stage for climate smart agriculture in Madhesh province. As GGGI introduces activities to incorporate CSA technologies, NARC stands ready to offer unwavering technical support whenever necessary,” Dr. Dhurba Bhattarai, Executive Director, NARC said.
“This partnership holds immense significance, not only for the adoption of CSA technologies but also for generating employment opportunities,” said Mr. Purusottam Prasad Gupta, Senior Project Coordination Officer, GGGI. “The joint efforts of NARC and GGGI will involve Community Based Seed Multiplication (CBSM), where NARC will provide source seeds to its outreach research centers or farming communities for seed multiplication. CBSM will empower farmers to produce and sell high-yielding seeds locally. The labor costs that occur during the CBSM process will be contributed by GGGI,” Mr. Gupta added.
Under this partnership, GGGI will execute and promote CSA technologies tested and approved by NARC and create 1100 new jobs for women, youth and returnee migrant workers through Community Based Seed Multiplication.
