Agriculture Issues

Agroforestry is a new name for the old set of practices followed by farmers since historical times. It is the process of cultivating trees and agricultural crops in intimate combination. Agroforestry system involves two or more species of plants or animals, at least one of which is a Woody perennial. Compared to traditional agriculture and forestry systems agroforestry provides a complementarity between trees and crops and effectively exploites the available resources. Agroforestry has considerable potential to improve agricultural production and maintain the overall productivity of the small upland farm, so it is becoming more popular in many parts of the world. In Nepal agroforestry system has been adopted in Illam, Dhanusa, Bara, Rautahat Dhading Nuwakot districts. Farmers have started agroforestry system by cultivating cash crops such as cardamom under Uttis, ginger and turmeric under tree shade, Home gardens, coffee under shade trees and vegetables and fruits in combination...

      Purchase quality spawns from the market (Spawn is just like the seed to plants, mushrooms grow and develop from them in the substrate)       Prepare the substrate (substrates are the wastes in which the mushroom grows)       What to use as substrate?       Agricultural residue high in lignocellulose content.       For example: Paddy straw, wheat straw, Banana leaves, legume straw, sorghum waste etc       Chop the substrate in pieces of 4-5 cm by sickle or chopper       Soak the substrate for overnight before use       Remember that you must Sterilize the substrate to avoid contamination       You can steam or boil the substrate in a drum or autoclave them  for at least 15-20 minutes       Then spread them ...

The practice of rearing fish along with paddy is as old as paddy farming. In the traditional farming practice the rice cum fish farming was mainly on capture basis. Rice is an agricultural crop cultivated in the largest land area of the world after wheat. The rice cum fish farming is in practice in several countries including China, Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand, Korea, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Rice is grown in almost all districts of Nepal excluding trans-Himalayan region. Fish catching is the main occupation of Pode, Majhi, Danuwar, Derai and Damar communities of Nepal The country has great potential for the development of rice cum fish farming sector as Out of the total cultivated area of 3.091 million ha, rice cultivation occupies 47.91% and fish is favored food by several ethnic communities. If only rice cum fish farming practice is adopted properly in Nepal it can be way too helpful in reduction of protein energy malnutrition of the country. Rice cum fish farmin...

Agriculture: a major source of pollution                       The history of human civilization started with development in Agriculture. Agriculture provides food, raw materials and employment opportunities to very large percentage of population. No matter, how much we get sophisticated, we can’t ignore the importance of agriculture. The ever increasing population pressure has increased food requirement. The traditional way of farming is not meeting the demand of large population, as small change in weather pattern or incidence of certain disease or pest destroys all crops which lead to famine and hunger. In order to meet food requirement of large population encroachment of forest lands for agricultural use has increased which is a major cause of environment degradation. Moreover, to maintain food security without expansion in land and resources the modern high input techno...

Organic Agriculture: Opportunities in Nepal The rapid agricultural intensification, high input technology and use of high yielding hybrid varieties have increased the use of agro-chemicals. It has improved the agricultural production, by vigorous crop growth and controlling of disease and pest. However, the farmers of Nepal are unaware about the safe application, dosage, frequencies and waiting periods of the agro-chemicals. The haphazard use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has resulted deleterious effects on the human health causing immune-suppression, skin cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive abnormalities, birth defects and liver and kidney problems. The Farmers of Panchkhal VDC of Kavre are suffering from the side effects of overuse or misuse of pesticides.  The long term use of agro-chemicals in soil declines soil fertility and imbalances natural ecosystem. The organic farming can be the best choice to avoid such harmful effects of agrochemicals.  Org...