Current Farming Practice at Pelkachour VDC, Syangja

Abstract

Millions of people are living with undernourishment and hunger in the world due to shortage of food. So, many countries of the world are prioritizing for food security. However, in Nepal, a quite opposite phenomenon is taking place. Fertile agricultural lands are being abandoned at an unprecedented degree in recent years. A critical question that then arises is: How and why productive lands are being abandoned by farmers who otherwise had cultivated them for so many generations? The question is much more relevant for a country like Nepal that faces severe food insecurity. The aim of this paper is to investigate the drivers of agricultural land abandoned practice in VDC of Syangja District. This study applies a mixed method approach to data collection, using household survey and key informant interview, in three village of Pelkachour VDC of Syangja district. The results indicate three key drivers: first, shortage of farm labour due to outmigration; second, reduced agricultural production, concomitant with availability of more attractive alternative opportunities; third, increment in the demand for the cash for health, education and other social services, cannot get output instantly from farming as money. The paper concludes by highlighting some ways to address the agricultural land abandoned practice issue.