Improved Seed for Farmers Programme (Kisankalagi Unnat Biu-Bijan Karyakram)

Building on an approach already tested in the IFAD-financed High Value Agriculture Project in Hill and Mountain Areas, this programme targets an area of Nepal that combines high poverty levels and relatively high population densities with significant potential for agricultural seed and livestock production. In partnership with the private sector in the hills of Nepal, it aims to develop the formal seed sector as well as improve smallholder livestock.

The seven-year programme will promote competitive, sustainable and inclusive agricultural growth in the target area, contributing to overall economic development. It seeks to improve productivity through market-led demand for improved seeds and livestock, with an eye toward testing and scaling up a model of growth led by agriculture.

The programme is composed of three components:

• Support for expansion of the formal seed sector – addressing the target area's low seed replacement rates, and poor quality seeds for vegetables and cereals, through development of the formal sector and truthful labelling of seeds
• Smallholder livestock commercialization – addressing livestock development, with a focus on raising goats and buffalo, through breed and productivity improvement, nutrition management, veterinary services, farmer training and market linkages
• Institutional and entrepreneurial development – promoting a conducive environment for private sector enterprises by strengthening local institutions and building their capacity at different levels, providing financial and non-financial services to beneficiaries and increasing outreach by microfinance lenders.

The first-phase programme area encompasses four districts in the Mid-Western region (Rukum, Salyan, Rolpa and Pyuthan) and two in the Western region (Gulmi and Arghakhanchi). All targeted districts are in hill areas, some with poverty levels that are considerably above national rural averages. The target group comprises 150,000 households in the first phase of the programme. In the second phase, starting from year four, the programme intends to upscale its activities and expand to other districts, reaching a total of 350,000 households.

Source: IFAD