Improving Maize Food Security in

the Hills of Nepal Through

Participatory Variety Selection and

Community Based Seed Production

11th Asian Maize Conference

Nanning, China, 7-11 November 2011

MoAC SDC CIMMYT USAID

• G. Ortiz Ferrara, CIMMYT/HMRP

• N. Gadal, CIMMYT/HMRP

• Dilli KC, CIMMYT/HMRP

• D.B. Gurung, NARC/NMRP

• S. Pokharel, DoA/CDD

(G. Ortiz-Ferrara@cgiar.org)

Background - Nepal

• Mountainous country

• Population – 29 M

• 88% population live in rural areas

• About 72% engaged in agriculture

• Annual per capita GDP < US$675

• Farm size less than 1 ha

• Average household of 6-8 persons

Maize in Nepal

• Grown in 0.876 m ha, 78% in the hills

• National average yield of 2.2 t/ha

• A staple crop in the hills

• Used almost exclusively as food

…”If there is no maize, there is nothing to eat”

Major Maize Production

Constraints

• Farmers unaware of new maize technologies…..(Extension)

• Limited access to improved

seed…..(Seed Production)

• Poor market opportunities

Agencies Involved in the Seed

Sector of Nepal

Public sector (NARC, DoA, NSC, NSB, etc.)

Community (Cooperatives, CBSP, DISSPRO, CSB)

Private agencies (SEAN, Seed Co., Agrovets)

Importers (open border with India)

Source: S. Pokharel, 2011

Seed Flows Within the Nepal Seed System

Gaps in the Current Nepal Seed System

Supply dominated by

informal seed system

Lack of well equipped

laboratories and trained

manpower

Limited involvement

of the private sector

Weak seed certification system

Insufficient supply of

source seed (BS/FS)

Poor seed storage and processing facilities

Transportation (poor

road infrastructure)

Inadequate food/seed buffer stock

Open border with India

The Hill Maize

Research Program

(HMRP)

MoAC SDC CIMMYT USAID

Strategic Goal

“Farm households in the hills of Nepal, especially of poor and disadvantaged groups, have improved food security and income”

HMRP Target Hill Areas

• 20 Districts

• >35,000 farmers/year

Partners (1999-2011) Government and Non-Government

• MoAC

• NARC

• DoA

• INGOs / NGOs

• Private Entrepreneurs

• Universities

• Donors (SDC, USAID)

• Farmers

Mid- and High Hills

OPVs

CIMMYT-Mexico

Sub-Tropical

Program

OPVs

CIMMYT-Zimbabwe

CIMMYT-Colombia

Other sources

Germplasm Introduction

Multilocation Testing of OPV

Varieties in Nepal

Regression of grain yield (kg ha-1) of Deuti,

Shitala, Mana-3 and Local on to the mean grain

yield of all varieties grown in PVS trials (2002,

2003 and 2004). Source Tiwari, et al. 2005)

Improved Maize Varieties Released

by NMRP/NARC, Nepal (2002-09)

Normal - Released

• Manakamana 3 -2002

• Deuti (ZM 621) -2006

• Shitala (Pop 44) -2006

• Manakamana 4 -2008

• Manakamana-5 (HPW)-2009

• Manakamana-6 (HPY) - 2009

Normal – Pipeline

• Arun-4, Arun-1 EV,

• Res. Composite, others

QPM– Released

• Poshilo Makai-1 - 2008

(S99TLWQ-HG-AB)

QPM – Pipeline

• CorralejoS99SIWQ,

• S99TLYQ-B,

• CelayaS91SIWQ

• S99TLYQ-HGAB

Enhancing Technology Adoption Through

Participatory Variety Selection (PVS)

MOTHER-BABY CONCEPT

Mother

Trial

(E1-E12)

Baby

Trial (E-12+LC)

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial (E-1+LC)

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

Baby

Trial

CONSULTATIVE

COLLABORATIVE

FARMER’S SELECTION

• TRADITIONAL

CULTIVATION

• RECOMMENDED

CROP

MANAGEMENT

LOCAL VARIETY

• TRADITIONAL

CULTIVATION

• RECOMMENDED

CROP

MANAGEMENT

~10 km

2009

2010

SEED

PRODUCTION

(CBSP)

Community Based Seed Production

• Approach to produce seed of farmer’s-preferred varieties selected through PVS

• Managed by the community • Linked with M-B Scheme • More efficient in remote hill areas • Marked oriented in a value chain system • Training, small infrastructure, source seed and linkages to markets essential for it’s sustainability

• Highly effective to meet seed demand gap

Decentralized Source Seed Production

Through CBSP

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20102011(Est)

Tons 14 45 131 259 309 335 405 480 555 664 830 1500

Groups 7 21 16 30 60 64 82 90 141 174 174 250

14 45 131

259 309 335 405

480 555

664

830

1500

7 21 16 30 60 64 82 90 141 174 174

250

Tons Groups

Improved Maize Seed Production Under CBSP

Source: HMRP (1999-2010)

Enough for ~ 75,000 ha at seeding rate of 20 kg/ha * *

*

Meets ~ 30 % of annual seed demand in the hills *

Seed Sold by Devistan Women Farmers Group,

Chhatiwan, Palpa (17 dalit farmers)

Agrovets: Pokhara 1100 kg @ 21= 23100

Syangja 1100 Kg @ 22= 24200

Galyang 200 Kg @ 22= 4400

Tansen 1000 Kg @ 24= 24000

Rampur 25 Kg @ 24= 600

Koldanda 550 Kg @ 25= 13750

Madanpokhara 300 Kg @ 25= 7500

DADO: Palpa 214 Kg @ 24 = 5136

Total 4489 Kg 102,686 Rs.

(US$ 1,604)

Linking Farmers With Traders

Rs.

Evolution of Sindhu-Tuki

CBSP Group, S/Palchowk, Nepal

Farmer

community

Seed grower

farmer groups

Cooperative

Company

2008

2010

2005

2004

Farmers

(seed

producers)

Farmers’

groups &

cooperatives

Traders &

retailers, seed

companies

Farmers

(seed

users)

Membership

fee, fee on

sales

Negotiated

price,

wholesaler price

Market

price

Sustainability, Economics and Marketing of CBSP

Household

revenue,

gross margin

Cost covering

revenue

Commercial

margin

revenue

Affordable

seeds, higher

production

& income

bbbbBbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbHMRP-CIMMYT

Progress Made on Food Security (2007-2009)

N = 21,252 HHs

Source: HMRP 2010

DiscriNon-

dicriPoor

Non-

poorDAG

Non-

DAGTotal

2009/10 7,460 13,792 15,653 5,599 15,653 5,599 21,252

2010/11 18,144 30,895 36,119 12,920 36,119 12,920 49,039

7,4

60

13,7

92

15,6

53

5,5

99

15,6

53

5,5

99

21,2

52

18,1

44

30,8

95

36,1

19

12,9

20

36,1

19

12,9

20

49,0

39

Fig 1: Distribution of HMRP beneficiaries in 2011 (estimated)

Progress Made on Social Inclusion

(2009-2011)

Progress made on Social Inclusion Estimated figures for 2010-11 based

on preliminary partner’s reports *

* Source: HMRP 2011

*

Area and Production Yield (kg/ha)

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Area, ha Production Mt

1421

1625 1681

1800 1906

2210

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Source: MoAC 2009/10

HMRP

22.7%

Maize Yield Increase Over Years (1985-2010)

*

* In partnership with NMRP, DoA, NGOs, PS, Farmers

Conclusions • Maize…. A strategically important crop in Nepal

• Transfer of technology, seed systems and poor marketing…. important constraints responsible for low maize production

• PVS (M-B)…. An effective strategy to promote the adoption of new technologies by resource-poor farmers

• CBSP…. An efficient approach to meet seed demand gap

• Partnership with farmers…. A key approach to improve food security, livelihoods and social inclusion.

THANK YOU!