Minister Adhikari urges for promotion of family farming

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 13: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Ramnath Adhikari has stressed the need of making family farming not only a means of livelihood but also a respectable, profitable and sustainable occupation.

He made this remark while addressing a regional workshop on family farming jointly organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Nepal and other partner organisations in Lalitpur on Tuesday.

Minister Adhikari said that in a country like Nepal, where about 60 per cent of the population are directly involved in agricultural and average holding land per farmer family is 0.6 hectares, family farming is not only an economic activity but also a major basis for ensuring our culture, tradition and food security.

He said that model agricultural cooperatives, integrated farming systems and farmer-inspired innovations working in the agricultural sector have improved both rural agricultural production and farmers' income as well.

He said that family farming, which includes small to medium-scale farmers, has been the main form of agriculture in developed and developing countries. 

Stating that climate change has added challenges to the family farming system, which is a key component of rural transformation, Minister Adhikari said that efforts from all sectors are crucial to avoid this challenge. 

The government is working by prioritising expansion of irrigation, construction of cold storage infrastructure, and targeted investment in value chain development. This will help increase income of farmers and enhance access of their produce to the market," he said. 

Stating that the agricultural sector has suffered huge losses due to various types of disasters in recent years, he said that climate adaptation measures are necessary and inevitable to avoid this.

“We are implementing major national programmess to promote climate-friendly agriculture, sustainable livestock management and the use of modern technology," he said.

Kusum Devi Thapa, Chairperson of the Agricultural Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee the Parliament, Member of National Planning Commission Dr. Jaya Bahadur Tandon, Secretary of the Ministry Dr. Govinda Prasad Sharma, FAO Representative Ken Shimizu, Chairman of the Nepal Agricultural Cooperative Central Federation Khem Pathak and others addressed the event. 

The three-day workshop is attended by international and regional agricultural sector leaders, policymakers, experts, and development partner organisations.