Third SATNET intraregional visit for smallholder value chain actors commences in Nepal 

The third in the series of SATNET Intraregional Visits for Smallholder Value Chain Actors is being organized in Nepal in partnership with International Development Enterprises (iDE) Nepal from 18-23 August, 2014. This visit is focused on South Asia with a thematic emphasis on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), climate resilient agriculture, and post-harvest issues which are of strong relevance to the region. Eighteen participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan are taking part in the visit, representing progressive farmers, village community leaders and NGO extension workers. 

On 19 Aug, the participants travelled from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa in South Nepal which is close to a cluster of iDE’s project sites including the European Union-funded Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project (ANEP). A welcome and briefing session was held wherein the participants were provided with an overview of the SATNET project and the objectives of this visit, as well as a background of iDE Nepal and its projects. 

Solar power water pump

The first site visit was to Madhuri Village Development Committee (VDC) in Rupandehi district where the participants participated in a village community meeting. The community has organized itself into a farmer cooperative with a majority of women members, and has become a model for IPM. In fact, the village has now gone completely organic and is free from application of chemical pesticides. Bio-fertilizers such as Trichoderma (a beneficial fungi) are also used. There is now growing interest amongst traders to buy organic produce from the village. The visitors observed technologies such as a solar power water pump (a climate change adaptation technology for water scarce areas being piloted by iDE) and Xylum pump (with foot pedals for pumping water and particularly suitable for hilly areas). 

Participants interacting with local community on IPM

The participants also visited Pathkhauli and Siktahan VDCs where they observed how farmers have increased their income and nutritional intake for themselves as well as their communities through fish nurseries/aquaculture (practiced both in small water tanks as well as in large ponds). They also saw dyke vegetable farming techniques where farmers are utilizing raised bunds along the edges of fish ponds for organic cultivation of vegetables.

Aquaponic and vegetable production

Finally, at Chhipagadh VDC, the visitors were provided with a demonstration of an Axial Flow Pump which utilizes power from a common tractor to irrigate large areas (70-80 hectares) and represents a technology which can be adopted collectively at the community level, or even be provided on an hourly-charge basis through Local Service Providers. At the same site, they observed aquaponics technology where a caged area in a pond is used for rearing fish which are released into the larger pond upon maturity. Moreover, a bamboo frame structure extending from the edges of the pond over the water provides additional space for cultivating vegetables (particularly creeper varieties).  

The day was marked with enthusiastic interaction between the visitors and the local communities. Apart from learning from the sites they visited, the visitors also shared their own experiences and suggestions for improvement with the communities, making this an exciting two-way learning and enrichment process!