The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives ( MoAC ) has assured associations, which are in opposition to the drafting process of the Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), that their concerns will be discussed with the new minister.
Farmer associations and civil society have accused the government of keeping them aloof even after assuring that a broader discussion would be held on the proposed draft.
“We (the ministry) have given the issue due priority and will be discussed with the new minister,” said ministry spokesperson Hari Dahal at an interaction here on Friday. Currently, MoAC is without a minister.
Dahal said if the ADS is made similar to the Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP), it is worthless as similar kind of vision and strategy will not address the agriculture sector’s woes.
With the Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) failing to yield desired results, the government is working on ADS that is expected to supersede APP by 2015.
ADS, being drafted under the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) assistance, will outline detailed programmes for the next 10 years, in which potential projects for investment by the private sector and donor agencies will be identified.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Finance Ministry, which had assured broader discussion with all stakeholders, Krishna Poudel, who represents the civil society, said there were no sign of holding discussions. The Finance Ministry had assured them that the issue would be discussed with both the finance and agriculture ministers and also with the ADB.
Around Rs 160 million is being invested for ADS drafting. “It’s not a question of cash, but a question of the country’s agro future which has been taken so lightly,” Poudel said.
Echoing Poudel, NGO Federation Nepal President Netra Timilsina demanded inclusive participation of stakeholders in ADS drafting. The drafting process started in April last year and is scheduled to be completed 2012-end. “The drafting process should be transparent and come as an independent draft in favour of the country’s agri sector and farmers,” he said.
Prem Dangal, secretary-general of the All Nepal Peasants’ Federation, said ADS is being prepared at a time when the country is concentrating on the peace process and constitution drafting processes. “APP’s validity is until 2015, and ADS being prepared four years before has some reasons to point out,” Dangal said, adding that the proposed ADS reflect liberal agriculture policy and in the context of Nepal. “As all the processes, methodology and content of ADS is not correct and is against the interest of the country’s farm sector, we appeal to the government to immediately stop it.”
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