Agriculture Ministry to complete farmers’ listing this year

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 5: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari has said that the Ministry has set a target of completing the farmers’ listing this year and distributing identity cards.

At the meeting of the agriculture-related committee held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Singha Durbar on Tuesday, Minister Adhikari said that he was thinking of forming a mechanism for agricultural subsidies in coordination with municipalities and provinces.

Stating that the Ministry was in the process of publishing the list of those who have received agricultural subsidies, Minister Adhikari said that it was his clear intention to ensure that the subsidies can be properly utilised. 

There is a need to amend the present chemical fertiliser distribution guidelines, he said, adding that the guidelines will be amended so that there is no need to obtain citizenship to get fertilisers.

Stating that the ministry has recently launched a toll-free number regarding chemical fertilisers, he asked the farmers to inform the ministry immediately if they cannot get chemical fertilisers on time.

He said that the practice of some provinces in interest subsidy of agricultural crops is exemplary 

and emphasised that it can be followed by others. 

Stating that the ministry has proceeded to start the vaccination campaign against animal diseases immediately, he expressed his commitment to support the international conference to be organised by the Koshi Province government. 

Emphasising the effectiveness of all three levels of government to make the decade of investment in agriculture announced by the government, he asked the agricultural ministers of the provinces to make a programme increasing production and productivity, modernisation, commercialisation and marketing of the agricultural sector. 

The Ministry of Agriculture has prepared a road map for it, he said and added that the federal, province and local governments should encourage the production for themselves and the local production. 

Stating that the ministry will make a policy to encourage indigenous products, he expressed the expectation of the local government's initiative to control the growing use of pesticides in agricultural products. 

He said that the damage caused by monkeys to agricultural produce is a serious matter and the ministry will be sincere about its management.

In the meeting attended by Ministers of Provinces other than Koshi and Gandaki provinces, review of the decisions made in the past thematic committees, the review of national and regional priorities and achievements in the agricultural sector, fertiliser management and sales distribution and the payment of dairy farmers were discussed.