
The agricultural sector remains largely dependent on traditional methods of cultivation - using bullocks and farmhands. Often, plots are left fallow during peak agricultural seasons, due to the shortage of labor.
Mechanization is currently limited mainly to larger farms in the Terai. It is particularly inadequate in the mid-hills of Nepal, due to the unavailability of machinery suitable for use in the narrow and sloped terrain. Only an estimated 15% of productive farmland in the mid-hills is prepared by mechanized means.
Samarth-NMDP is working to catalyze changes in the availability of farm machinery suitable for the hills, especially mini-tillers. This includes working with importers and dealers, to capture the market potential for mini-tillers and other varieties of farm machinery. The interventions focus on effective marketing and after-sales care; and provision of financial and training packages to enable machinery operators to invest in mini-tillers as well as its attachment, to establish service business.
Current Interventions
1. Improve Access to Marketing, Financial and Technical Services
2. Improve Efficiency of Traditional Cultivation Equipment
3. Increase Capacity of Technicians to Strengthen After-sales Services