Plant health management in Nepal

Yubak Dhoj G. C., PhD Program Director Ministry of Agricultural Development Nepal Harihar Bhawan ++ 977 98511 28 1 29 yubakgc@yahoo.com www.ppdnepal.gov.np

Nepalese Agriculture
Predominantly an agricultural country, 65.5% Major contribution in GDP: 42% Considerable scope: Increasing food production Un acceptable losses of biotic and abiotic factors: 30-35% Majority of growers: illiterate No or low attention on plant health improvement Formidable challenges in meeting food safety rules and standards

Scientists Research Techniques Solutions Lack of Guidance Crop Losses Plant Clinics Farmers

Some Reasons for the Rapid Adoption of Plant Clinics:

clinics are seen as the missing link between farmers and expert institutions extension workers are able to reach more farmers in short time and at low cost farmer demand is captured directly at the clinics clinics are vehicles for dissemination of IPM technologies clinics help their communities stay alert to new diseases and emerging epidemics, and valuable synergies can be created between actors of the healthcare system

Plant Clinics under Plantwise-Nepal Partnership

clinics initiated through Global Plant Clinic in 2008 Conducted mobile and permanent clinics with Government and NGOs Plantwise launched in 2012 by CABI South Asia India Partnership established with agreements (involving Government i.e. MoAD, Academia and NGOs) 71 persons trained on different modules 18 clinics conducted started at different districts of Nepal 28 fact sheets produced, data collection in process Very encouraging response from farmers Plan to involve extension and IPM programmes for upscaling by the Government in coming years
Plant

Importance of plant clinics

Awareness Direct help to growers

Gathers demand (for control) and supplies technologies Stimulates new networks, improves collaboration

How plant health clinics work

Surveillance of diseases

Strengthening farmers with healthy crops Crop Management

Results so far
Kick start, 2008/09: CABI Initial emphasis: Capacity building Systematic penetration in GoN : 2011 by PPD and CABI India Module I Training : January 2011, PPD and CABI India Module II: April 2012 (PPD) Module II: January 2012, PPD and local experts, 25 Officers Module II: August 2012: PPD and CABI, Plantwise, 30 participants Module III: September 2012, PPD and CABI Plantwise, 30 participants

Implementing Plantwise in Nepal

Elementary Step
Studying about the crop- pest scenario Discussion with NPPO and match mandates with Government priority areas Layout plan for working in Nepal with Government of Nepal

Secondary Step

Technical Step Plant Health System

Trained capacity available for National Plant Health System

Capacity building Linking clinics to of plant protection diagnostic labs officers

Practical Scientific Linking diagnostic trainings on backstopping and labs to backstop diagnosis and validation of data clinics conducting clinics Conducting clinics as frontline workers in dealing with farmers Feed the validated in Knowledge bank Embedding plant clinics in Government system

Lessons learnt
Poor knowledge on plant problem diagnosis skills Advisory services: pesticide dealers Seeking cure without sample diagnosis Control measures: On guess Result: losses in production, monetary value, non-target effects of chemical Plant clinic: Lately introduced CABI: great support in capacity building and clinical activities Government involvement: lately Plant clinics: Important components of IPM and food security Serve as a channel for communicating with farmers on emerging pest problems

Future needs:
Capacity building of the Govt staff, farmers, input dealers Functional role: Govt (strength of infrastructure and human resources) Supportive role: Research, Teaching Institutes and Private organization Support: External (CABI and multi-partners association) Government role: Streamlining and scaling up Greater emphasis to the program-regularization

Thank you!