Kathmandu - A two-day joint monitoring visit was conducted from 11 to 12 June 2023 by its stakeholders under the enhanced rural AI (TERAI) project for smallholder dairy farmers in Nepal.
The
monitoring team consisting of Agriculture and Forest University (AFU), National
Cattle Research Program (NCRP), District Coordination Committee (DCC), Local
government, ADRA Asia, ADRA Nepal, Forum for Rural Welfare and Agricultural
Reform for Development (FORWARD) Nepal, and Indreni Rural Development Centre
(IRDC) Nepal, monitored the project activities at the working areas of
the project.
The
team mentioned that the project is moving in the right way at the field level
considering the project's intended result. In addition, the team expressed that,
the project has prepared its ground works like group formation, capacity
building, demonstration of the improved practices on balanced feed, year-round
forage and fodder management, hygienic milk production.
The
monitoring team observed the hygienic milk production and management training,
low-cost animal housing improvement, and improved feed management training in
farmer field school. Similarly, the team did interaction with Banganga and
Sainamaina municipalities of Kapilvastu and Rupandehi district and shared the achievement
of the first year and discussed the potential areas of collaboration in the
second year.
Phanendra
Prashad Sharma, Mayor of Sainamaina Municipality and Chakrapani Aryal, Mayor of
Bangana Municipality have appreciated the TERAI project coordination and
achievement done so far.
As
the project has provided various training for the capacity building and input support
in dairy production to smallholder's farmers in the municipality. Both Local
Governments are positive for doing collaboration with the TERAI project to
commercialize the dairy sector in the municipality in second year.
Nawraj
Dhakal, the chairperson of Kanchan Rural Municipality had appreciated the
project for supporting the smallholder farmers on improved feed management,
forage management, and breed improvement. He said, the project is very effective
to improve the livelihoods of small holders' farmer through livestock farming
and milk production.
He
further mentioned that Kanchan Rural Municipality will do resource
collaboration with the TERAI project to reach out to more farmers and significant
results in the coming future.
Umakant
Chapai, Chief of District Coordination Committee expressed his happiness to the
project for supporting small dairy farmers on improving their livelihoods and
dairy business. He was very much impressed with the program like preparing
improved feed at household level and forage based dairy farming for higher
profit. He suggested promoting forage and fodder on bund, unused land, and
community forest land for sustainability of dairy business.
Similarly,
Professor Dr. Hom Bahadur Basnet, Dean
of Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science, and Fisheries appreciated the
achievement of the project during short period of time. He further added that
AFU is ready to collaborate with TERAI project on sterility management, animal
health management, improved nutrition management, and hygienic milk production at
field level.
Likewise,
Sagar Poudel, the Coordinator of National Cattle Research Program expressed
that Nepal Agriculture Research Council is
ready to collaborate on pregnancy test of artificially inseminated cattle and
buffalos, improved forage, and fodder production technologies through outreach
research programs.
Likewise,
Dr. Brendon Irvine, Program and Planning Director, ADRA Asia had given cordial thanks
to the project team and its partners for their hard work to prepare the good
foundation of the project in a short period of time.
He further suggested, we need to integrate the nutrition, veterinary services, nutritious forage and fodder, improved sanitation, and disease management for higher genetic potential yield from the improved breed.
