| Project Name |
Harnessing the True Potential of Legumes: Economic and Knowledge Empowerments of Poor Rainfed Farmers in Asia |
| Funding Agency |
International Fund for Agricultural (IFAD) |
| Project Location |
Surkhet and Dailekh districts |
| Project Period |
September 2008- August 2012 |
| Target Group |
Legume growers revising in mid-hills of far-western region (450 households) |
| Project Partners |
Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC)
District Agriculture Development Offices (DADOs) |
| Total Budget (NRs) |
480,000.00 |
| Project Objective |
To increase production and productivity of maize based system through the promotion of legumes. |
| Expected Outputs |
- Appropriate legumes varieties preferred by farmers under maize-based system identified.
- Farmers aware about roles of mungbean on enhancing the system productivity.
- Farmers and staff of other partner organizations trained on legumes marketing.
|
| Major Activities |
- Participatory Variety Selection in Mungbean and Phaseolus bean
- Seed production of mungbean
- Training to local resource persons and staff on legumes marketing
- Demonstrations on mungbean biomass incorporation for enhancing rice production
|
| Major Achievements |
- Mungbean variety NM 3960 has been selected as the best variety for planting in spring season under rice based system in Surkhet valley. All the 20 farmers who participated in the trials have saved seed for the next year planting.
- Phaseolus bean varieties: PB 002 and PB 048 found quite promising as green pods in rainy season in maize-based system in Dailekh district.
- 10 farmers produced 225 kg seed of the above variety.
- Local Resource Persons (5) and staff of local organizations in Dailekh district (10) trained on strategies and approaches of legumes marketing.
- Over 25 farmers directly participated in the demonstrations on effects of incorporating legumes biomass on production and productivity of rice.
|
| Lessons Learnt |
Deuti variety maize could serve as a good staking material for Phaseolus bean if planted considering appropriate spacing and timing |
| Recommendations |
The participatory variety selection (PVS) activity in Phaseolus bean should be carried out in three different altitudes (river basin, foot hills: 1000-1200 masl, and mid hills: 1200-1500 masl to enhance the scope of adopting this legumes in wider scale. |
