INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 14Smallholder farmers and agricultural intermediaries showcased their products and ideas today at
an exhibition held in Birendranagar, Surkhet, in Karnali Province.
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Organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Co-operatives (MoLMAC) of Karnali Province and seven
local governments by Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) in partnership with WHH Nepal, the exhibition served as a platform for smallholder
farmers and agri-intermediaries to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and learn from one another
The event brought together around 250 stakeholders, including policymakers, senior government officials, potential investors, business
organizations, producers, academia, and young people.The exhibition marked the culmination of a series of bootcamps and other interventions
implemented as part of the "Business Incubation for Strengthened Local Agri-food Systems in Karnali" project
This project, implemented by YI-Lab in partnership with WHH, is part of the GRAPE programme, which aims to enhance green marketplaces in the
province by providing business incubation services to smallholder farmers, focusing on environmentally sustainable businesses
The project is being implemented in Bhagawatimai, Bhairabi, Dullu, Naumule, Barahatal, Bheriganga, and Birendranagar local governments
GRAPE is funded by the European Union, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development.
Inaugurating the exhibition, Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali Province Rajib Bikram Shah
said, "Karnali holds immense agricultural potential
To tap into this potential, innovation and technology must be introduced to farmers." He added that challenges posed by climate change
threaten the agriculture sector, and all stakeholders must work together to address this
The minister also expressed his happiness about the development of Nepal's first online course targeting agri-entrepreneurs,
"Agri-Entrepreneurship 1.0," hosted on shikshya.org, which was demonstrated during the exhibition.Also speaking at the event, Provincial
Assembly member of Karnali Kal Bahadur Hamal expressed satisfaction with the exhibition, stating that it provided a platform for gaining
market experience and building a strong network
The exhibition featured 39 stalls, including one each from MoLMAC and Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karnali,
showcasing a variety of agriculture, agro-based, livestock and non-timber products as well as agri-business plans and farm records developed
Around 250 people attended the exhibition.Most of the stalls were presented by participants of two bootcamps held between May and August
this year in Surkhet, organized by YI-Lab in partnership with WHH as part of the project
The first bootcamp focused on 271 smallholder farmers, while the second targeted 40 agri-intermediaries from Karnali
Participants were selected through an online application process on apply.merokheti.org, which received an overwhelming response
The bootcamp participants included 168 women and 87 from ethnic minorities and the Dalit community.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
