Junar in Nepal

JICA, Nepal Junar Development in Nakajholi, Sindhuli Disrict, Nepal: A inception Report Dipak Prasad Koirala Brief Introduction of Nepal: Nepal is Situated in the lap of the Himalayas, It is located between the latitude 26˚ 22' N to 30˚ 27' North and longitude 80˚ 4' E to 88˚ 12' East, and elevation ranges from 100 to 8848 meters. Nepal is a tiny country with average length being 885 km east to west and the average breadth 193 km from north to south, covering area of 1,47,180 Sq. km.. The country is bordered between the two most popular countries in the world, India in the East, South, and West, and China in the North. Though Nepal is a land locked and tiny, it is known in the world as country of natural beauty with traces of artifacts and the birth place of the light of Asia- lord Buddha. Location of Nepal between India and China Sindhuli District The country is the divided into 5 development regions, 14 zones and 75 districts. Geographically, the country is divided in three regions; Mountain, Hill and Terai. The Northern range (Himalayas) is covered with snow over the year where the highest peak of the world, the Mount Everest, stands. Nepal possesses the geographic diversity and varied climatic conditions where 20.5 million people of more than 60 caste and ethnic groups are accommodated. The country's estimated population growth is 2.3 per annum. Agriculture, The back bone of Nepalese economy engages over 66% of the total population, contributing for 40%of the national GDP . out of the total area: 30,91,000 ha. lands are cultivated and 10,30,000 ha. lands are uncultivated. out of cultivated area, 10,31,137 ha. lands are under irrigation till the year 2005/2006, 2.7 millions holdings, average holding size of 0.96 ha. A part from rice being the main staple production crops in the country. vegetable are growth at homesteads for local consumption through out the country and with concentrations of mark production around the major cities, in the mid hills and Terai in the smooth .Nepal imports 67% of its vegetable consumption and 85 % of its fruits consumption. Horticulture contributes about 13% of the agriculture growth rate . it contributes 14% of total agriculture GDP high value crops account fo 80% of the total cropped area. share which different types of fruit production in Nepal, Citrus 25%,Tropical 57%, Temperate 18% . Introduction of Junar (Sweet Orange) Junar is a citrus species nutritious fruit. It is being commercially cultivated in 42 V.D.C. of Sindhuli District. and 6 VDC of Ramechap district. It is cultivated in places with altitudes of 800 to 1300 meter along the Mahabharata range. Scientifically this is proved as the appropriate area and altitude for Junar farming. The Junar tree starts bearing flowers in April and the fruit is ready from December and can be enjoyed till the end of April. And it is scientifically known as Citrus Sine sis. junar is a juicy fruit having easily separable 10 segments of pulps. It is yellow to orange reddish in color and rich in flavor. The shape of the fruit is globose or ovate and sub-globose but it is normally an apex round with slightly depressed in base round. Current picture of production and marketing of junar Sindhuli district Ramechap District Nom of farmers HH 3125 1175 No. of co-operative 28 2 No. of farmers group 13 11 Area under Junar cultivation (Ha) 1500.5 1087 Productive area (Ha) 742 970 Production (Mt) 12481 12125 Productivity ( Mt/Ha) 16.8 12.5 Estimated production in coming season 10 to 15% More to the present situation 5 to 10% More to the present situation Institutional support Japanese government, Embassy of Japan in Nepal support 360 Mt. capacity of cold storage house for junar. Sindhuli junar development Association and agriculture perspective plan support project (APPSP) have lunched some program to enhance junar development in this district . The government of Nepal had lunched OVOP junar program in the community fiscal year 2006 . Problems of Junar farmers:- Sindhuli is a mountainous district and has been affected by lot of natural and climatic calamities. The land in the district is not very fertile hence more than two third of the population are directly or indirectly dependent on Junar. With little or no irrigations production of other crops are nominal. The economic condition of Junar farmer is very poor. Specially junar farmers are directly affected due to lake of proper Junar technician and those who are junar technician are not sufficient in both knowledge and numbers. The available technician are leak of knowledge in junar . The junar had special case and support of technical and natural. The government is not able to look after the production of junar whatever are produced in junar is not proper market and people are themselves unaware about the junar due to leak of knowledge in test of junar obiviouery, the market of fruit is growing tremendously. hens the government should pay the fall attention by the concept of cooperative coordination among the various cooperatives , Sindhuli District: Sindhuli district lies in the hilly region of Eastern Nepal. Though, a valley having a sub tropical climate also lies in the central part of the district, which is now the political and economical center of the district. Thus the altitude ranges from 460 m msl to up 3000 m msl. The climatic pockets also vary accordingly. The annual temperature of the district is 25° C and it gains 250-300 mm annual rainfall on average. Annual maximum and minimum temperatures vary according to the altitude. About 90% population of the country wholly or partially depend on agriculture for their livelihood. District has a total of 39,485 ha of cultivable land out of which, 12,550 ha of land enjoys access to irrigation. Table 1: Land use pattern of the District (Ha. ) land Catqagory Cultivated Fallow Pasture Forest Others Total High hill 0 0 0 70 0 0 Mid hill 17116 13349 1110 62043 1409 95027 Chure Range 22369 6012 304 116017 7910 152612 Total 39485 19361 1414 178130 9319 247709 Source: District Development Committee, Sindhuli 1. Profile of Nakajholi Community: 1.1. Nakajholi lies in the northern hilly part of the district at elevation range from 900 to 1100 m msl. It is connected with an all-weather agriculture road to the National highway, which is in final Phase of construction. Total population of the community is 613 out of which male population is 368 and female is 356 Table 2: Demographic structure of the case community Description Population 2001 Population 2009 (Growth rate 2.23% ) Total population 534 724 Male 276 368 Female 258 356 Gender ratio 50.83 M Total house hold no. 96 100 Average population in household 6 7.24 Literacy rate (%) 41 68.79 Source: Village Development Committee Ethnically speaking, 60% population belongs to Janajatis while Bramhins and Chhetris comprise 25%. About 10% are Dalits (Lower caste) and remaining 5% belong to other castes eg Newars. 65% people wholly depend on agriculture for their livelihood while 30% engage themselves in agriculture partially. Rest of their time goes for non agriculture sector. Remaining 5% population is wholly dependent on non agriculture sector. 1.2. The case community holds 753 ropanies of cultivable land, most of which is climatically very suitable for Junar production. Vegetables and other fruits like pomegranate and pear also suits the climatic and topographic conditions of the land. The community holds 156 ha of community forests owned and run by the community through Community Forest User Group (CFUG). Many herbal and medicinal plants are being cultivated in these forests. Since community members of the case community have a high literacy rate than that of national population, social harmony and awareness and willingness to adapt new technologies is also accordingly high. 1.3. Community members have formed many women groups, community forest user groups, saving groups, school management team and a Junar cooperative at community level. These groups meet weekly and discuss the immediate concerns regarding social or economical issues and resolve these issues. Every member is obligated to take part in the activities planned to be performed by the concerning group. For example, such activities might be mending of crumbled community managed roads or irrigation channels, clearing the community forests, settling minor disputes over any social issues, marketing of junar and other agro products etc. In case of Junar, the community follows a yearly work plan of OVOP Program which is a public Private Partnership program, jointly run by the Government of Nepal and the local entrepreneurs. The community members are involved from planning to execution of the OVOP junar program in the community 2. Developmnet of Junar in the community Junar or sweet orange, scientifically known as Citrus seinsis, is being commercially cultivated in 42 VDCs of Sindhuli district. 3185 families with approximately 22100 people are directly involved in junar farming. It is cultivated between altitude ranges of 800 to 1300 m along the Mahabharata range. Junar cultivation started in Nepal since 1909 non-commercially. Then the government initiated program for development of citrus fruits in Nepal. The Government with technical and financial support of JICA established Dhankuta Centre to execute citrus research in Nepal. Junar fruit produced in Sindhuli was taken notice of and research was started by a JICA volunteer Mr.Y.J.Tomasyu in1985 Then seeing the commercial viability of the fruit, nursery establishment was started at local level. Later, with the help of government aid and private investment Junar started being planted widely in the district with commercial view. In B.S.2042, his late Majesty King Birendra announced this district as a Junar production area. There are now 14 commercial nurseries established. In technical cooperation and grant aid of the government of Japan have lunched Horticulture development project. phase I since1985-1990, phase II since1992–1997, follow up program since 1997- 1999 , the objectives of this project are mentioned as follows : • The primary objectives of the project is to develop fruit production particularly in hilly areas through technological development, training and extension to contributing to the promotion of horticulture development in Nepal . • On the completion of project the following achievement have been gained .The project have been contributing for the promotion of Junar cultivation and production of quality fruits from beginning of the project. collection of germplasm, selection of sustainable root-stock, time and method of grafting, root stuck management, nursery established, plant management technique, fruit thinning, plant protection, harvest and storage techniques, grading of fruit and storage trial has done . Nakajholi was one of the areas where commercial junar farming was started. It is still one of the four major junar producing pockets in the district. For commercialization of the fruit, Junar Development Association formed in B.S. 2051 by the financial aid of Government of Nepal and Japanese volunteers Tomasyu of JICA. Since Fiscal Year 2005/06, One Village One Product (OVOP) program has been started in the community along with many other pocket areas of the district covering 2 VDCs. The program primarily focuses on improved orchard management of the established orchards and value addition of the product such as sorting, grading and packaging at local level and marketing under OVOP brand name. In Nakajholi, the Junar Development Association, of which, I am the president, has done following activities. - Farmers Group Formation. - Provide Technical support for farmers - organize training, workshop and awareness program about Citrus farming - land planning for farming, fruit storage and marketing support - Co-ordination with GO, NGO, INGO and support to farmers Marketing, farming & income generating program. 2.1. There were 6 visits of the community with my involvement in the last month (the month 2.2. of July 2009). The last visit was made on 29th. 2.2. The activities performed during the visit and the outcomes are as follows: 2.2.1. July 29, 2009 2.2.2. With me, the Secretary of Sindhuli Junar Development Association (Mr. Nirmal Kumar Ramtel) and Fruit Development Officer (Mr. Gobhardhan Adhikari) of District Agriculture Development Office, Sindhuli visited the Nakajholi community that day. 2.2.3. We had separate meetings with the Chairman of Namuna Junar Producer Co-operative Ltd., Mr. Hasta Bahadur Mashrangi, Tresurer Mr. Sher bahadur magar, Board Member Mr. Chet Bahadur Purbachane and owner of the largest orchard in the community Mr Jhalak BahaduR Astani Magar that day. 2.2.4. Following were the topics we discussed about: Plant Quality Enhancement: Nursery Selection and Plantation Formulation of Program Planning for the FY 2066/67 Marketing Plan for the next season (2066) Infrastructure Development (Road, Collection center, cellar stores, irrigation) Other regular activities (Saving, credit, other social issues) 3 Outcome: The Organization members and the community members planned for some activities and performed those activities accordingly in perfect coordination and harmony. Those were: 3-1 Plant Quality Enhancement -Planned Infrastructure Development (Road, Collection center, cellar stores, irrigation facility)-Planed 3-2 Nursery Selection and Plantation -Done Formulation of Program Planning for the FY 2066/67-Done Marketing Plan for the next season (2066)-Done Other regular activities (Saving, credit, other social issues)-Done Experience: I would like to inform about my experience about junar. Junar is a nutritious fruit belonging to citrus species. Junar is being commercially cultivated in 42 V.D.C. in Sindhuli. Major pocket areas are Ratanchura, Baseshwor, Tinkanya, Bitijor, Jalakanya. The commercialization had taken some momentum since initiation of OVOP program. The market oriented and farmers designed plans and activities performed with active coordination of concerning Central to District level bodies of both the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives/GON the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the apex body of Nepalese private sector has transformed junar farmers economic standards. The involvement of JICA in capacity enhancement of the concerned farmers and technicians is also one of the factors behind the success of the program. On behalf of the community and the association, I would like to request more intensive support especially in technical support and brand establishment from all the concerned agencies.