sustainable farming - ForestAction Nepal

Press Meet Held for जैविक कृषि जागरण यात्रा

Posted on April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by admin

ForestAction Nepal, the secretariat of the Alliance of Agriculture for Food (AAF), in collaboration with the Association of Nepali Agricultural Journalists (ANAJ), organized a press meet on 21st April, 2025 at SAP-Falcha, Babarmahal to officially inaugurate the month-long journey “जैविक कृषि जागरण यात्रा”, scheduled from 22nd April to 21st May. During this event, a press note was also released in the presence of journalists, activists, and farmers.

Over a month, this journey will cover the locations across Bagamati Province, Madhesh Province, and Koshi Province. Along the way, the team will engage in dialogue, interactive sessions, observation, and experience sharing with farmers, local communities, students, Local Government, and Provincial Government. The journey focuses on raising awareness and facilitating discussion on issues such as the impacts of excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, public health risks, water crisis, and climate crisis.

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

Posted on March 27, 2025 by admin

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.

Participation in agricultural exhibition and farmers fair

Posted on December 23, 2024 by admin

Participation in agricultural exhibition and farmers fair at Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan

From December 14–18, 2024, ForestAction Nepal participated in the Agricultural exhibition and farmers fair organized by Agriculture and Forestry University at Rampur, Chitwan. Utilizing this event as a platform to promote agroecology among diverse stakeholders, we collaborated with the Organic Farmers Federation Chitwan (Jilla Prangarik Sangh) and Shree Prangarik Krishi Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha Limited and showcased a variety of local and indigenous seeds and crops from across Nepal. Similarly, informative posters/arts were also displayed, highlighting the importance of sustainable farming, the effects of climate change, and the benefits of using indigenous seeds instead of commercial ones. The stall attracted many visitors who appreciated the displays and information presented.

A Walking Training: Capacity building through observation, learning, and reflection

Posted on September 3, 2024October 6, 2024 by admin

A walking training was conducted from August 27^th to 31^st, 2024, with the participation of 18 agricultural graduates, technicians, and social agents in the Lalitpur and Kavrepalanchok districts.

The journey started from Lubhu and concluded at Lakuribhanjyang of Lalitpur district on the first day. During the visit, participants did a brief observation of commercial agriculture and interacted with farmers. Participants also discussed the challenges faced by commercial farmers, especially about the emergence of new diseases and pests.

The second day of the journey began in Lakuribhanjyang and concluded at Kushadevi, Kavrepalanchok. Along the way, the participants interacted with farmers in the community and learned about their cropping pattern, cultivation practices, and their views on sustainable farming. Similarly, participants communicated with officials of Ward 1 of Panauti municipality to understand about the situation of commercial farming, community forestry, and pesticide use in that area.

In the third day, the journey started from Kushadevi and ended in Khopasi. Along the way, participants observed cropping patterns, land grabbing, forest fires, and landslides. Similarly, participants met with the agriculture officer of the Panauti municipality to discuss soil health conditions and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the area. Moreover, participants visited the sericulture development center and explored the potential of silkworm farming in Nepal.

The journey started from Khopasi on the fourth day and ended in Bethanchowk. During this portion of the walk, the participants observed the agricultural practices and livestock farming of the community. Participants had a brief discussion about land and water management, integrated pest management, and the impacts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human health in Bethanchowk.

On the fifth day, participants traveled to Narayanthan, where they visited a sacred Vishnu temple and enjoyed views of the Himalayas, including Ganesh, Langtang, Manaslu, and Everest. The training concluded with a self-reflection session to assess its impact on the participants’ learning and development.