Kathmandu, Apr. 22:
A Cuban agricultural
expert Dr. Fornando Funes has recommended connecting farmers with the
agriculture research institutions in the country.
“Farmers should be enabled with the latest knowledge, skills and
technology happening in the agriculture sector. Robust connections and
interactions between the research institutions such as Nepal Agricultural
Research Council and farmers will support the latter in a great deal,” he said
while interacting with Nepali journalists on Sunday.
He said that in order to develop the agriculture sector, youth should be
attracted to farming and to the villages with the adoption of 21st
century technology and physical infrastructure. An effective value-chain should
also be created to support the entrepreneurs and farmers.
Stating that the Cuban National Farmer Association has 150,000 farmers
as its members he stressed on farmer to farmer relationship in order to
exchange the modern and latest agriculture techniques and use of technology.
“The government must bring a policy to promote micro-agricultural
industries in the villages because they will create employment and help in
reducing poverty. Ecotourism can also be another sector which is closely
connected with the agriculture,” said Dr. Funes.
According to him, energy should be provided to the farmers at the lower
cost, and farmers should be motivated to grow multiple crops for organic
agriculture and to maintain bio-diversity.
He also recommended for biological control of pests, promoting urban
agriculture in open spaces and on the rooftops, and creating an integration of
plants and animals.
Dr. Fumes is in Nepal to participate in the follow up seminar of the
‘Make Nepal Green’ conference organised in February 2016.
The follow up seminar will be organised by Sappros-Nepal in Kathmandu on
25 and 26 April.
“Make Nepal Green builds on the premise of the overlapping results of
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through the implementation of the
consortium of organic agriculture, renewable energy, information technology and
eco-tourism, we aim at ending poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality and
promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” the organiser said.
Published in The Rising Nepal on 23 April 2018.
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