Project Implementation Workshop in Kaski District

In order to explain the rationale and strategy of the project to relevant stakeholders, project implementation procedures along with roles, responsibilities, opportunities and its implementation plan with key stakeholders and collect feedback from them, one day district level project implementation workshop on “Agriculture Management Information System” under PPCR: BRCH Project was organized on 4th December 2016 in District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) Kaski. Nearly 50 participants from the government, private sector, non-governmental organizations and research institutes attended the meeting. The entire workshop was facilitated by Mr. Ajay Adhikari, Horticulture Development Officer from DADO-Kaski. 

The implementation workshop was inaugurated by Chairperson Mr. Lokendra Bohora –Senior Agriculture Development Officer of Kaski District. Mr. Bohora said that although ICT projects serve resource-poor farmers, qualified and well-motivated staff will be required to serve as an interface with computer systems. As this project is high technology project, agro-info SMS should be understanble to farmers and rapid rural appraisals should be done to assess the type of information most in demand.

The project in a nutshell was presented by newly appointed National Project Director, Mr. Bishnu Prasad Ghimire of PPCR: BRCH-AMIS Project.  He shared about project objectives,outcomes, outputs, and project sites, major activities until date and implementation plan. Furthermore, he shared about affected agriculture land in last 10 years due to natural and climatic hazards. Likewise, he shared trend of loss in production of major stable crops like rice, maize, millet and buckwheat in last 4 years.

Mr. Sharad Shrestha-Regional Director of Eastern Cluster shared his experience of dissemination agriculture related information via local radio FM where very few targeted farmers responded to the useful dissemination. Thus he concluded that in addition to media dissemination, mobile application could be best means to disseminate agro-climate related information, cultivation practices of crops livestock reaching farmers, farming communities and other concerned stakeholders.

Mr. Prakash Sanjel, Chief of Regional Agriculture Training Centre-Eastern Cluster highlighted the importance PPCR:AMIS Project as  ICT can give a new impetus to productive activity of agriculture which, if nurturedeffectively, could become transformational factors. The ‘knowledge’ itself will become a technology for overallagricultural development. Agricultural extension, in thecurrent scenario of a rapidly changing world, has beenrecognized as an essential mechanism for deliveringknowledge (information) and advice as an input for modern farming. However, Mr. Sanjel advised PPCR:AMIS Project Management Unit also to address hailstorm hazard of Kaski district. Likewise, he urged to take some necessary steps in crop weather index insurance.

Mr. Surendra Gautam, Social and Communication Consultant from AMIS Project share about selection criteria from VDC level to farming communities. In addition, his video demonstration regarding “HamroKrishi” mobile application caught a sight of every participant with great enthusiasm.

Key Recommendations from the participants

• Include weather index insurance in the crop to address loss of crops in Kaski district due to some hazards like hailstorm, erratic rainfall and monkeys (Mr. Ram Chandra Baral-Kaski)
• Include soil mapping and GPS reading of each pilot district also in AMIS Portal (Mr. Indra Oil, Head of Soil Department, DADO-Kaski).
• Distribution guidelines for AMIS infrastructure  should be strictly followed so that right farmers get right support (Ghanshyam Pandey)
• Focus on capacity building of government focal person and staff at different level (Sharad Shrestha, RD).