Agrotech

  Marigold Marigolds are ornamental plants which are available with either of yellow, orange or copper-brown flowers. These plants are cultivated mainly for ornamental value worldwide. There are 129 species of marigold can find worldwide from mainly two different genera i.e. genera tagetes and genera calendula.  Genera Tagetes are from sunflower ( Asteraceae ) family which are mostly annual or sometime perennial, mostly herbaceous plants. These plants are native to America which are growing naturally from the southwestern United States into South America, but some species naturally growing around the other part of world as well.  Genera Calendula are also belongs to sunflower ( Asteraceae ) family and are commonly known as pot marigold, ruddles, common and scotch marigolds. These are probably native to southern Europe, however, the history of calendula are still unknown.  Marigold has been valued for cultural and religious significance in Nep...

  Lentils Lentils are agronomic crop belongs to family leguminosae and categorized as pulses. Lentils are widely consumed, the main consumers are South Asia.  It is annual plant about 40 cm tall and known for lens-shaped seeds. The seeds are grown in small pods which contain 2-3 seeds/pod. The major global producers of lentils are Canada and India where 50% of combined global production is dominated by these two countries.  Photo: Lentil plant with pods, Source: Indian Institute of pulse research Benefits of lentil i n Agriculture  A. Nitrogen fixation Nitrogen is important fertilizer to support plant growth. As Lentil is legume crop, it has ability to form nodules and fix biologically available nitrogen into soil. To conserve the soil in its natural state and to protect from degradation of soil from chemical fertilizer application, alternatively we can grow lentils to let them fix nitrogen in soil. The use of hazardous chemical fertilizers should be avoided for impr...

What is Rambutan? Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum ) is a fruit which grow in medium-sized tree belongs to  Sapindaceae family. This fruit is native to Southeast Asia and closely related to several other edible fruits such as Lychee and Longa n. The name Rambutan is derived from the Malay (Malaysian language) word 'rambut' which means 'hair', and in Vietnam it is called 'chom chom' which also means 'messy hair' Rambutan tree The Rambutan tree is an evergreen tree grows upto the height of 12-20 meter. It has alternate leaves (10-30 cm long), pinnate with small leaflets from 3-11. It has small flowers and born in erect terminal panicles which is 15-30 cm wide.  rambutan tree can be either male (produce male flower only and hence no fruiting occur), female (produce functional female flowers) or hermaphrodite (produce both flowers where male flowers used be in low proportion).  Photo: Rambutan tree and fruits in tree, Source: internet search Rambutan fruit   ...

What is youth in agriculture? Youths are young and energetic group of people who can play an important role to build agriculture sector. we can say that young people immediate after undergraduate level can be youths for agriculture. After undergraduate level of education, people will have some sort of technical knowledge so that with energy and enthusiasm and knowledge, these youths can bring some changes in agriculture in Nepal.  Why is youth for agriculture development?  There is heavy number of youth in Nepal who are highly active but unemployed. These people have will power, 'to do' attitude,  enthusiasm  and energy, however they are draining because of low or now opportunity in Nepal. We can utilize this potential force to bring changes in our agriculture   Photo: Youth have critical thinking and can generate new idea to work, Source: Entrepreneurship campus  Current agriculture system is just subsistence and we need to revolutionize our production sys...

The abrupt and ad hoc change in climatic factors such as temperature, solar radiation, precipitation and humidity highly influence crop production. We can observe the pattern of erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spell, unexpected drought, flood and landslides since last 10-12 years. One of the reason behind these chaotic disasters is change in climate and global warming.  Problem of erratic rainfall, drought, dry spell, landslide and floods are creating mixed type of impacts and effects in Nepalese agriculture production. Nepalese agriculture is facing  mixed type of experiences with climate change i.e. positive and negative.   Both Positive impacts and negative impacts  of climate change to Nepalese agriculture going together, it means even climate change is posing positive impacts in one hand, it is creating negative impact in another hand. However, our future agriculture should have strong strategy and plan to cope with negative impacts and to balance the agri-...

We always used to have doubt if we think which way should we move for our agriculture development,  mechanization/commercialization or sustainable development? Nepal has many  challenges to maintain  food security   for future population to feed. Even at the era of modernisation  in 21st century, Nepalese farmers are depending on rainfed farming system and growing crops in low input level . This is creating the high input and low output in agriculture production.  Many Nepalese citizens are in below poverty, and many more are suffering from hunger . The low output of agriculture production with high input is not enough to support current food security in Nepal.                  Photo: Example of food diversity, Source: Wikimedia Therefore, there is necessity to secure food at the fist stage of agricultural development. However, we can not ignore the sustainable development as well. Therefore, there should ...

The world is concerning more about to increase agricultural productivity through commercialization. We can not ignore that the cultivable land is being shrunk by many industrial and commercial activities. In such case, the whole world is running behind the science to develop high yielding hybrids and genetically modified organisms including plants and animals.   To meet the food requirement for growing population, world is working together for boosting agricultural productivity through  agri-commercialization and industrialization .  Exploring heavy amounts of hybrids and GMOs in agriculture is creating pressure to extinct our valuable local products. We had very valuable delicacy of local crops and animals which has its own value. However, they are either under threat to extinct because of competitive hybrids and/or GMOs or neglected. Even though, we have highly valuable and qualitative agro products in local level such as apple  Marsi dhan   f...

Agriculture in Nepal is being progressive towards commercialization, however, it is still being less than enough.  Although there are many  opportunities   and need for agriculture to be commercialize, many  obstacles  and problems  such as poor infrastructure, lack of proper technology and poor market facilities are hindering the growth.  Agricultural commercialization happens only when agricultural enterprises and/or agricultural sector  come as a whole single enterprise and rely on market for selling products. By commercialization of agriculture, agricultural production should require to go 'surplus' and should sell the products in the market rather being consumed in family. It means, production should go beyond the family consumption size.  There is a great need of agricultural commercialization in Nepal and especially Tarai/plain areas are highly potential for commercialization. In another way, high hills are potential for  agr...

 Agrotourism is new concept and rapidly growing at the international level. Being an agrarian country and having diverse geography from himalayas to tarai, Nepal has immense potential for agro-tourism and economic development. As agriculture has significant contribution to national GDP contribution, it would create synergetic effect on national income if both agriculture and tourism practices in integrated way. Because of having enchanting terraces, beautiful mountains and himalayas, streams and rich biodiversity; Nepal possess a great value for tourism and agriculture promotion.                  Photo : Nepalese secic beauty, source: Various internet search Agro-tourism is rapidly attracting concern globally and many countries such as China, Vietnam and Indonesia have already taken into action to promote agro-tourism for economic benefit. Even Though, Nepal has immense potential, there is not enough understanding for agro-tour...