smallholder farmers - ForestAction Nepal

ForestAction Nepal has been actively engaging in policy research and advocacy focused on agroecology and sustainable food system. ForestAction Nepal, the secretariat of the Alliance of Agriculture for Food (AAF), critically reviews the policy processes and content related to agricultural development in Nepal and offering feedback and inputs derived from reviews, field actions, policy forums and interactions to orient it towards agroecology.

On 2nd April 2025, ForestAction Nepal organised a half-day interactive program in Kathmandu to discuss the draft of National Agricultural Policy 2081 which is currently under review in the parliamentary committee. The program was held in the presence of Honorable members of the Agriculture, Cooperative, and Natural Resources Committee, government officials, civil society actors, farmers, activists, media personnel, and students.

During the program, Dr. Krishna Prasad Poudel, a policy analyst and an agricultural activist, representing AAF delivered a presentation highlighting the key changes to be made in the policy draft. He mentioned that policy must incorporate farmers’ friendly sustainable agricultural practices that suit our geography, environment, and culture, to address future food security challenges. He also expressed frustration over the delayed policy formation, highlighting that plans for a new agricultural policy began in 2077 BS but remained incomplete even in 2081 BS.

Dr. Ram Krishna Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, highlighted challenges in balancing soil conservation, sustainable farming, and agricultural productivity. He guaranteed that the goal of the policy is to promote sustainable agriculture while gradually decreasing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Honorable members of the Agriculture, Cooperative, and Natural Resources Committee expressed their commitment to addressing the issues discussed in the program and would be included in future meetings of the Committee.

The discussion highlighted several concerns including the lack of adequate provisions for climate change adaptation, land management, agricultural education, and protection of small and women farmers which were raised by activists and farmer organisations.

The team also submitted written feedback to the Agriculture, Cooperative, and Natural Resources Committee for incorporation while finalising the policy. Click here for written feedback

ForestAction Nepal’s agriculture team has recently completed their visit to Dhusa and Kalikhola, Ichhakamana Rural Municipality, where they are working with local farmers and the palika to promote agroecology. One of the approaches is field action research, where they are conducting trials and experiments to address the major challenges farmers face in their fields.

One of the significant challenge observed in both villages was the high reliance on chemical pesticides for pest management. To promote sustainable/agroecological practices and technologies, the team demonstrated the use of simple yet effective tools, yellow and blue sticky traps and Cue-Lure, to monitor and trap insect pest in cucumbers and beans, the major crops grown this season.

These tools weren’t new to the farmers, but they had been underutilised in managing insect pests in the fields. This intervention will be followed up with further support to ensure the effective use of these tools and continued learning for the farmers. By demonstrating the benefits of agroecological practices/technologies, we aim to boost farmers’ confidence in adopting these methods, leading to a gradual shift towards more sustainable farming practices.

Additionally, the preparation of an Effective Microorganism (EM) solution was demonstrated, and oriented to farmers about its uses and benefits. EM offers multiple benefits, including accelerating the decomposition of manure and increasing the population of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
During this visit, the team also conducted a pilot survey with a few farmers to understand the factors influencing the adoption of organic and agroecological practices. The team further aims to reach at least 100 farmers from various parts of Nepal to explore these factors more comprehensively.

Tag: smallholder farmers

Interactive dialogues on the Draft of National Agriculture Policy, 2081

Transitioning to sustainable farming: A field action research initiative in Dhusa and Kalikhola Gau, Ichhakamana Rural Municipality