Organic Farming In Nepal ( Nawalparasi )

This is a brief article to give a picture to our readers and partner about IM Nepal’s action in agriculture to combat the practice of hectic use of chemical pesticide and chemical fertilizer in the field. The project started from January 2009 but has had made an impressive impact in the community.

"Initiatives of organic vegetable production in Tharu ethnic community through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach in Nawalparasi, Nepal"

By: Yubak  Dhoj G. C., PhD IPM consultant for SOIR-IM, Nepalyubakgc@yahoo.com

In recent years, the plant protection scenario in most parts of the developed and developing countries have undergone dramatic changes. The emphasis of the production of most of the agricultural crops has shifted from the hitherto dominant chemical pesticides to organic production by using natural resources and indigenous knowledge of the farming communities.

The protection of crops by combating the negative effects of pests on crop production is of major importance for food security especially in a developing country like Nepal. This is particularly true in these days where increased productivity is needed in order to achieve adequate food supply. The aim of organic production, however, is not to ensure maximum production, but optimum production in an economic and sustainable means with the full consideration for healthy environment.

In case of Nepal, the chemical pesticides form an important means to control pests since long time. Despite the widespread use of pesticides, pest damage causes significant yield loss in most agricultural systems and it is still evident in case of commercialised vegetable commodities produced in the areas where market facilities exist.

The world-wide pre-harvest crop losses caused by pests are estimated by FAO to be the order of 30-35%, and this figure is nearly within the same ranges in case of Nepal and sometimes in epidemics it reaches higher than that. With the rapid growth of pesticide resistance in insects, pathogens and weeds, these losses are likely to increase. Non-target effects to the human beings through the means of pollution in air, water, contaminated foods etc are also been realised. In Nepal, it is still very alarming as most of the producers are illiterate and likely effects of the pesticides are very high.

There are several records and instances that, misuse, overuse and abuse of these chemical compounds are very common in Nepal which however, varies from community to community. To combat this trend it is essential to design programmes of pest management that depend on the intelligent integration of various control measures and not on chemical control alone.

The increased awareness of the environment and the need to implement sustainable agriculture production methods, and the occurrence of accidents with pesticides support this strive against the injudicious use of pesticides.

In order to implement these new programmes in Nepal, there should be initiation taken by some organisations. At the same time, there should be conceptual clarity among the technicians, pesticide handlers and farmers because they have lot of hangover of the pesticide oriented pest control method. In developed economy, a range of techniques are promoted by the Government and non-governmental organisations, which has been used by the farmers with great faith.

The techniques include the use of various cultural practices such as crop rotation, multiple cropping, timing of planting, further habitat management that enhances natural enemy populations, biological control agents, direct trapping of insects, and use of thresholds and finally the careful and timed use of pesticides. At the same time basket of ethno-science are common among the Nepalese farmers, which however, can not be seen as well fusing with improved agricultural practices. Many botanical plants are thought useful for pest management.

The whole concept, utilising all possible pest control measures in an ecologically sound and for the farmer economically viable programme, is called an integrated pest management (IPM).

Integrated pest management (IPM)

IPM is an interdisciplinary approach to reducing crop losses through the use, by farmers, or optimum mixes of pest control techniques. It combines the aims of agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness. It has arisen out of the need to avoid the problems of pest resistance build-up (leading to pest resurgence), secondary pest outbreaks, human health problems, the high cost of pesticide control and environmental degradation caused by excessive and inappropriate chemical pesticide use.

The approach has become closely associated with enabling farmers to make crop protection decisions in full awareness of factors operating in their agro- ecosystems.

With its emphasis on making the best use of local and human resources, IPM encourages, wherever appropriate, the use of natural control mechanisms (for instance pest predators) and "traditional" pest management techniques used by farmers.

However, the adoption of practical alternatives to chemical methods of control may be difficult to apply on farms than simple chemical control techniques. It is still difficult in case of Nepal as the country has no chemical pesticides manufacturing industries in one side and purchasing of such compounds from abroad needs lot of resources in another side.

An understanding of not only the biology and ecology of the injury causing agents (pest insects, pathogens and vertebrate pests) is required, but also of all the possible effects of the various control measures on the particular farming system of the farmers’ technical solutions, the lack of resources, or socio-economic and other factors should also be considered. IPM considers how a farmer would determine when to use each type of method.

IPM is a pest control system that incorporates a variety of techniques to promote the best socioeconomic and environmental conditions. For the effective adoption of the IPM, clearly understanding of the concepts, approach, tools and practices on the technicians, pesticide handlers, farmers and various extension methodologies is mandatory.

At the same time, every components of IPM such as biological monitoring, environmental monitoring, action and economic thresholds, choice of control methods should equally be considered, which may lead organic production of the agricultural crops. Adoption of IPM tools and components while producing organic vegetable is largely critical in case of Nepal.

In the present day pest management, there is a big philosophical jump between the pest control and pest management thoughts. IPM in recent days is viewed in relation to human behavior and actions rather than pest killing or eradication motives. It means IPM gives more emphasis to the holistic approach of pest management based on certain principles of pest management whereas; traditional methods were basically oriented with the uses of chemical pesticides. Still there is lack of knowledge among the crop protection technicians involved in Governmental and non-governmental organizations about the recent approach of IPM practices, know how of the IPM tools, their application etc.

Therefore, any initiatives through the modules of demonstration aim to anchor the knowledge gaps about the recent approach of IPM principals and practices with that of pesticide orientated pest control in Nepal. In order to raise the awareness on organic production among the producers and technicians it is important to initiate activities like organic village. It is largely envisaged these kinds of activities might be one of the cornerstones towards organic agriculture in Nepal.

Why organic production was attempted?

The organic village intends to broaden the participants view on plant protection and its role on organic production in their own work areas and situation by enhancing and strengthening the knowledge and skills of the farmer. They will be enabling to grow vegetables basically in off-season without using deadly poisonous chemical pesticides. In order to achieve these goals, the organic approach will be initiated in three different tiers, to the producers, technicians and the consumers.  

Following are some of the specific objectives of these initiatives;

• Enable farming communities about husbandry practices of agriculture
• Create mass awareness about the hazards of chemical pesticides so as to arouse their interest into organic production
• Enable farmers into organic pest management (OPM) approach as an alternatives to the chemical pesticides  
• Establish model farm by integrating all the components of organic vegetable production
• Organize OPM training suitable for different level of farmers with especial emphasis of women and socially deprived and marginalized ethnic community
• Enable farmers for using eco-friendly pest management practices and tools for organic production
• Establish OPM farm as resource centre for communicating and disseminating technologies appropriate for semi commercial and semi commercial farmers of Nepal
• Up-scale the modality of organic farming into wider agro-ecological zones
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• What has been done so far?

The demonstration site for the project has been chosen Pithauli Village Development Committee (VDC) ward number 2 of Nawalparasi district. After taking base line information of the site, farmer group was formed.  The major ethnic group of this site is socially, economically marginalized deprived Tharu ethnic people. Their source of livelihood is basically agriculture and very laborious by their ethnic occupation. 

Geographically, the site is located into flat land area, having access of road and partial irrigation. At the same time, the selected area is located in the vicinity of tourist hotels and business area indicating the ample scope of trading their produce. Traditional system of growing agricultural crop is widespread in the site as the majorities of the growers are illiterate and have low exposure on the modern agricultural system.

As a result, use of traditional varieties and cultivation practice is very common. At the same time, indiscriminate use of chemical pesticide is very common and the likely effects are very alarming. Short term and long term hazards are reported occasionally and accidentally by different organizations, however, farmer have almost low or no perception about these effects. The major reasons are due to lack of knowledge about the safe use of chemical pesticides.

There is greater misconception among the majority of the farmers as they think chemical pesticides are "medicine" not as a "poison". Because of this reason the likely misuses and abuse are very high. At the same time, the farmers are largely ignorant about proper choice and method of application of chemical pesticides. However, at the same time, there are ample scope of enhancing their knowledge and making organic agriculture as profitable enterprises in the site.

Looking into this prospect, SOIR-IM, Nepal has initiated a model organic farm in Nepal from the very grass roots level. Probably, this will be an interesting initiative in the country with regard to ethnic base of the people but having very strong affection in the agricultural occupation. The site is not far from the road head passing from east west high way, which will allow them to sell their produce into tourist hotels and restaurants. 

At present, the model organic farm coverage is half a hector at the moment, and first batch of organic production of some of the seasonal and off-season vegetables are initiated. In the first batch cucurbitaceous vegetables such as cucumber, sponge gourd, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, snake gourd, ladies finger etc were grown.

These crops were found profitable for growing particularly in this season, where they could sell these produce. Beside these vegetables, other crops were also been grown as minor vegetable crops. Other crops such as spring season maize, Dhaincha (Crotolaria juncea), etc were also grown. In the rainy season, organic rice production has also been planned.

Incidence of insect pests and disease was recorded to a considerable level; however, they were combated culturally and adopting with biorational approaches. The severity of fruit fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) was reduced by male annihilation techniques attracting with Steiner trap. The cue lure was used in the trap where the population build up was minimized to a satisfactory level.

Beside, these lure and kill approach, the insect pests and disease were minimized by using botanic plant materials which are available in their locality. More emphasis were laid on cultural and biorational approach by integrating the traditional knowledge and folk lore of the Tharu ethnic people.

The plan for growing round year production and marketing of vegetables profusely with winter vegetables has been on-going. It has been targeting for producing Cole crops organically in the forth coming season. The farmers are well acquainted regularly through community level of training about the improved method of agriculture. The major emphasis of such training is to schooling them into improved organic production techniques, where the farmer brings their pertinent problem about production and protection. The expert delivers the skill on production aspect to the ranges of plant protection aspects.

Major emphasis is given identification of the insects, diseases and other biotic and abiotic problems. At every farmers field school (FFS), the community people were asked for collection, involved for identification and maintenance as insect and disease zoos. The major emphasis has been laid the principles of organic production method of agricultural crops and vegetables so the use and misuse of chemical pesticides will be reduced gradually.

Achievement so far

Considering the time span of the project, it is too early to assess the outputs in tangible term; however, there has been greater enthusiasm of the farmers about the initiation of SOIR-IM, Nepal. Until now, the project has been able to dig out the core problems of agricultural production, plant protection, and full exploitation of indigenous knowledge and techniques. The farmers know the suitable crop varieties into their locality along with their cultivation practices. At the same time, they knew the improved method of cultivation and suitable time by which they could produce and sale them as off-season. Their knowledge on the appropriate choice of the bio-rational approach for managing pests and disease has been increased. In their view, the chemical pesticides are major culprits for problems of human health, environment and soil. The acquisition of knowledge was possible through meeting, visits, field observation and participating them in the farmers' field school.  At the same time, the farmers are able to prepare botanical pesticide as "Liquid pesticide" using the plant materials which are available in their farm land. This along with other materials such as wood ash, kerosene, local plant materials etc has been found very encouraging in reducing the status of various insect pest and diseases. The farmers are very keen for future program too.

The major outputs can be seen in the improvement in the knowledge, skills and practices of the farmers. If these enthusiasms will be continued the hope for producing, trading and naming this village as organic seems possible in real sense. In future more focused program needs to be conducted which should have well link in the value chain and possibility of making agriculture as income generation enterprises.

Sidan redigerades : 2009-07-23 01:41

This artical is copied from http://www.manniskohjalp.se/sv/Om-IM/nyhetsarkiv/Nyhetsarkivet/Report-Organic-Farming-in-Nepal-in-English/