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Crop Diversification in the Asia-Pacific region - United Nations in ...

Crop Diversification in the Asia-Pacific region - United Nations in ...

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<strong>Crop</strong> diversification should cont<strong>in</strong>ue with due emphasis on <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g:• Technological packages should be provided to <strong>the</strong> production pockets based on <strong>the</strong>irlevel of development i.e., whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> pocket is a basic pocket, or a commercializ<strong>in</strong>gpocket or a commercial pocket etc.• Exportable high value commodities should be identified for each of <strong>the</strong> districts andproduction cost should be reduced so that Nepalese produce can compete with Indianproduce (which has very low price).• The focus should be on priority commodities such as off-season vegetables, vegetableseeds, citrus, apple, mushroom etc., which can have good markets (both domestic andexternal).• The production pocket area and farmers group approach which has been <strong>in</strong>itiated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>country should be streng<strong>the</strong>ned and, <strong>in</strong> order to make it susta<strong>in</strong>able, <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>gactivities should be conducted regularly:- Workshops to support <strong>the</strong> development of pocket area activities.- Orientation towards cooperative groups.- Promotion of mass communications.- Conduct of <strong>region</strong>al technical work<strong>in</strong>g groups (RTWG) meet<strong>in</strong>gs regularly.- NGOs to be active <strong>in</strong> facilitat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> group formation process.• Women must be identified as full members of community groups. This will enhance <strong>the</strong>irself-confidence and social status and can be effective <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>troduc<strong>in</strong>g a large numberof women to decision mak<strong>in</strong>g processes.• Efforts of l<strong>in</strong>e agencies and resource centres should concentrate on <strong>the</strong> productionpockets, so that <strong>the</strong> pockets become stronger and more effective.• A forum among traders, producers and extension agents should be established. Thisapproach will help farmers to have direct exposure <strong>in</strong> market<strong>in</strong>g aspects.• Regular tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to production pocket area farmers on production technologiesparticularly on selected commodities and on market<strong>in</strong>g aspects <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g process<strong>in</strong>g,packag<strong>in</strong>g, grad<strong>in</strong>g, etc., should be provided.• Nepal is expected to become a member of <strong>the</strong> World Trade Organization (WTO) by <strong>the</strong>year 2001 and this would require more focus on crop diversification.94

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