Farmers’ schools getting popular in Sunsari

By Our Correspondent Barahakshetra, Feb. 21: Farmers' Schools which collectively teach farmers throughout the crop production period, are becoming effective among farmers. While introducing modern farming system in agriculture, the farmers of Sunsari are receiving technical knowledge through the farmers' school programme.

By reaching the farmers' fields and focusing on the problems that appear throughout the production period, the practice of crop production based on research and experimentation has increased the technical knowledge of the farmers.

Prabin Lal Shrestha, Information Officer of Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Sunsari, said that the knowledge of farmers regarding modern agricultural technology was increasing when the municipalities of the district operate the Farmers School programme.

According to him, AKC Sunsari is preparing to conduct farmers' school in two locations here for vegetable crops. Farmers' schools are effective in making farmers self-reliant in vegetable and grain production.

By adopting practical, experimental and research methods, observations, analysis and group discussions among the farmers are conducted throughout the crop period, and the school makes the farmers skilled to solve immediate problems.

With the help of the agricultural technician in the school, the farmers themselves are focusing on the problems related to crop production, from identifying diseases and insects, and the knowledge of technology is increasing among the farmers.

Agriculture technician Nir Bahadur Rai said that farmers are getting more attracted to the school because the farmers are taught about everything from the field to the market. 

According to him, the farmers are getting better at farming because of the physical presence of the farmers in the school.

Farmers outside the group are also benefiting from the practice in the farmers’ group. In order to bring the latest agricultural technology to the farmers through farmers' schools, the Koshi Province government had introduced a procedure for operating farmers' schools in 2075 B.S.

According to Agricultural Knowledge Centre, Sunsari, learning is becoming effective in the school because the instructor training is conducted throughout the production period of one crop.

The farmers' schools have been running on vegetable and maize crops in Chatara, Prakashpur and Madhuwan of the district. 

According to agricultural technician Rai, a school for cucumber and tomato cultivation has been run in Baguwa of Chatara.