JICA supporting in livelihood of Sindhu people

Sindhupalchowk, Apr. 30: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is supporting the post-livelihood programmes in Sindhupalchowk, one of the 14 districts severely hit by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake.

It is supporting in infrastructure development, like women training centre, agriculture product collection centre, irrigation facilities and seed collection facility, as well as programmes such as vegetable farming, maize farming and quality seed production.

Likewise, it has been assisting in developing resilient public facilities by reviewing building codes and developing guidelines.

Seed storage facilities are being built in Irkhu, Ichok, Kyul, Phulpingdanda and Jethal.

Senior agriculture development officer at the District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) Hikmat Kumar Shrestha said that maize, potato and wheat seed production programmes would be implemented in those areas.

"Along with seed production, DADO is executing vegetable farming programmes with priority in many villages," he said.

The seed storage facility at Diyale, Irkhu will facilitate more than 200 households of local farmers. The areas is known for quality maize seed production.

"The facility is being constructed by the Mahila Jagaran Krishi Samuha with support from JICA. The quake-resistant building will motivate more farmers to adopt seed production," said Sher Bahadur Thakuri, treasurer of the Samuha.

According to JICA, the facility will directly contribute to agriculture livelihood and food security.

Similarly, the Small Farmer Agriculture Product Collection Centre is being constructed at Botechaur of Melamchi Municipality.

The facility, which will be operated by Sooryamukhi Sana Kishan Krishi Sahakari Sanstha, a small farmer cooperative, will facilitate about 2,200 members of the sanstha.

Manager of the sanstha, Sajjan Sapkota, said that the collection centre would be used by the farmers in and around Bhotechaur.

JICA has also upgraded a 13.6 kilometre-long access road to the collection centre.

Likewise, the bilateral cooperation agency is constructing a women training centre and DADO building in Chautara, the district headquarters. 

"We have been implementing improvement of vegetable farming practices for women's group in Irkhu, Talamarang, Bansbari, Mangkha, Maneshwora and Thokarpa with the aim of improving knowledge and capacity of the target women farmers on vegetable production," said Dr. Jeevan Bhattarai, consultant for reconstruction at JICA Nepal Office.

Similarly, project on improvement of maize farming practices for poor farmers is running in those villages, which will benefit more than 450 households. JICA will develop a simple cultivation manual for the farmers, too.

Jun Sakuma, chief representative of JICA Nepal office, said that the Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) would not only help in the livelihood of people in quake-hit areas but also empower women as more than two-thirds of the beneficiaries were women.

The bilateral agency has been implementing 'Project for Rehabilitation and Recovery from Nepal Earthquake (RRNE) in collaboration with the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) and investing 16 million US dollars in technical cooperation.

The programme is being implemented in the Kathmandu Valley, Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk.