CHAP. 3 AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OBJECTIVE DISTRICTS This chapter is organized into seven sections. Section 3.1 provides basic data of the five objective districts. Section 3.2 discusses road conditions of each district. Section 3.3 describes the general situation of each district. Section 3.4 provides district development plans, budgets and priorities. Human resource and administrative structures of the DDC and District Technical Office (DTO) are also discussed in this section. Section 3.5 depicts the districts agriculture development polices and programs. Agricultural production in survey districts are presented in Section 3.6. Section 3.7 depicts agricultural marketing situations in the survey districts. 3.1 Basic Data of the Objective Districts The basic data of the five Districts such as area, population, literacy rate and poverty incidence are shown in the following Table 3.1: Table 3.1 Basic Data of the Objective Districts S urvey Districts No Particulars Unit Kavre- Whol e Ne pal Dolakha Ramechhap Sindhuli Mahottari palanchok 1 Area Sq. Km 2,191 1,546 1,396 2,491 1,002 147,181 2 Population 1000 Nos. 204.2 212.4 385.7 280 553.5 22,736.90 3 Male 1000 Nos. 100 100.8 188.9 139.3 287.9 11,563.90 4 Female 1000 Nos. 104 111.6 196.7 140.5 265.6 11,587.50 5 Sex Ratio % 96 90 96 99 108 100 6 Total Households 1000 Nos. 43.2 40.4 70.5 48.8 94.2 4,174.40 7 Average Household size Nos. 4.73 5.26 5.47 5.74 5.87 5.44 Nos./ Sq. 8 Population density 93 137 276 112 552 157 Km Proportion of urban 9 % 10.7 0 13.7 11.7 4 13.9 population 10 Literacy Rate % 50.6 39 63.7 50.1 34.4 53.7 11 Poverty incidence** % 33.6 48 35.1 60.3 29.1 33.5 Source: CBS, 2001 Census, **- Small Area Estimation, CBS/WB/WFP 3.2 Road Status of Objective Districts For the purpose of conducting a program formulation survey along Sindhuli Road Corridor, this survey selected five districts, namely Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli and Mahottari, from among the districts where the Sindhuli Road passes through and two adjoining districts, namely Ramechhap and Dolakha1 (Annex 3.1). Therefore, this chapter presents agriculture related issues of these districts. Table 3.2 below shows the number of VDCs and municipalities in these five districts with strategic roads, and local roads, as well as those with no vehicle-pliable roads. 1 Reasons for including Dolakha district were (a) strategic importance of the district to the Sindhuli Road Corridor development, (b) opportunity to look into the issues of north-south connectivity (Dolakha in the north to Mahottari in the south), (c) opportunity for Ramechhap district for two way connectivity and accessibility through Lamosangu-Jiri road and Sindhuli Road, and (d) other initiatives/projects being undertaken in Dolakha district through JICA support. 3 - 1 Table 3.2 Road Status in the Objective Districts No. of VDCs and Municipality VDCs and Municipality with VDCs With no Vehicle -pliable District Strategic Road Local Road VDCs Municipality Total Roads No. % No. % No. % Dolakha 51 1 52 12 23.1 18 34.6 22 42.3 Ramechhap 55 0 55 13 23.6 34 61.8 8 14.5 Kavre 87 3 90 27 30.0 54 60.0 9 10.0 Sindhuli 53 1 54 13 24.1 19 35.2 22 40.7 Mahottari 76 1 77 56 72.7 21 27.3 - - Total 322 6 328 121 30.0 146 44.5 61 18.6 Source: DDC development plans 3.3 Introduction to the Survey Districts 3.3.1 Sindhuli Road Aligned Districts Kavrepalanchok: The district is located about 30 km east of Kathmandu city in the central hills. It is bordered by Ramechhap and Dolakha to the east, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur to the west Sindhupalchok to the north, and Makwanpur and Sindhuli to the south. The district has a mixture of ethnic and caste groups of Tamang, Bahun and Chhetris. In 2001, it had a population of 385,672 which is estimated to have reached 434,872 in 2008. Poverty incidence in the district as per “Small Area Estimation of Poverty, Caloric Intake and Malnutrition” (CBS/WFP/World Bank Report, 2006 based on National Living Standard Survey) is 35.1 percent. This is slightly higher than the national poverty incidence average of 30.8 percent. Administratively, the district is divided into three municipalities (Dhulikhel, Banepa and Panauti) and 87 VDCs. Despite the massive rural road construction by the people, 10 percent of the VDCs2 in this district are yet to be connected with rural or SRN. Annex 3.2 shows Kavrepalanchok district along with the existing and planned road networks. Sindhuli: The political boundary of the Sindhuli Road is somewhat rectangular in shape touching both mid-hill and Tarai districts of Nepal. Among all the districts of Nepal, Sindhuli borders with the highest number of districts. Bordered by Udayapur to the east; Kavre and Makwanpur to the west, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga and Kavre to the north; and Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari and Dhanusha to the south. The district is situated nearly 408 km east of Kathmandu in terms of the existing road network through the East West Highway (EWH). Sindhuli Road has brought this district closer to Kathmandu city by more than 250 km. Nearly 60 percent of the VDCs within the district have roads, some of which are strategic roads, while others are district or village roads. In 2001 the district had a population of 279,821, which is estimated to have reached 326,534 in 2008. There are a total of 53 VDCs and one municipality (Kamalamai) in the district. In terms of poverty incidence, more number of poor live in this district than rest of Nepal. The incidence of poverty reported in the aforementioned SEA study was 60.3percent in 2003/04, nearly double that of the national average. Annex 3.3 shows Sindhuli district along with the existing and planned road networks. Mahottari: The district adjoins Dhanusha to the east, Sarlahi to the west, and Sindhuli to the north, and India to the south. It is located at a distance of approximately 430 km southeast of Kathmandu by road. The projected population of the district in 2008 was 648,537 whereas according to the 2001 census, the population of the district was 553,481. The poverty incidence in the district, 29.1 percent is close to the national average of 30.8 percent. The district is divided into one municipality (Jaleshwor) and 76 VDCs. Roads pass through all of the VDCs. However, some roads are seasonal due to the lack of bridges and drainage problems in rainy season. Annex 3.4 shows Mahottari district along with the existing and planned road networks. 2 As this estimation is based on review of available data and information in Kathmandu, it is possible that this number may decrease. This will be triangulated during the field survey. 3 - 2 3.3.2 Districts Neighboring Sindhuli Road Ramechhap: The shape of the district is narrower in the north and wider towards the south. The northern elongated portion adjoins Dolakha to the north-west and Solokhumbu along the east and south-east. The wider south portion of the district adjoins Okhaldhunga to the east, Kavre along the west and Sindhuli along the south. The district is located nearly 220 km east of Kathmandu. In 2001, it had a population of 212,408 is estimated to have reached to 231,225 in 2008. The poverty incidence in the district as estimated by the CBS/WFP/World Bank Report, 2006 is 48 percent, which is much higher than the national average. Administratively, the district is divided into 55 VDCs. Annex 3.5 shows Ramechhap district along with the existing and planned road networks. Dolakha: Dolakha district is located 132 km northeast of Kathmandu. It is bordered by Tibet (China) to the north, Ramechhap district to the south, Ramechhap and Solukhumbu districts to the east, and Sindhupalchok and Kavre districts to the west. The district is overwhelmingly dominated by Chhetri, followed by Tamang, Brahmin, Newar and other castes. The estimated population of the district stood at 217,218 in 39,945 households in 2006. Administratively, the district is divided into 51 VDCs and one municipality (Bhimeshwar). As per the SAE Report 2006, poverty incidence in the district is 33.6 percent against the national average of 33.5 percent. The district has a total of 258 km of road networks (completed and under construction). Annex 3.6 shows Dolakha district along with the existing and planned road networks. 3.4 District Development 3.4.1 Periodic and Annual District Development Plans The GoN requires each DDC to formulate their respective district development plan based on the country’s development objectives, priorities and policies, as well as the district’s potentialities, priorities and resources, etc. Of the five survey districts, all districts except Sindhuli had prepared their first periodic district development plans (PDDPs) for a period of five years to be implemented during the Tenth Plan Period (2002/03- 2006/07). Annex 3.7 summarizes the PDDPs of the districts including budget estimated for the plan period. However, none of the districts have yet prepared their second PDDPs focused on the current TYIP period. This has happened because the country is now in a transition period and the DDCs have no elected leader. This Government has not been able to hold district-level election, although it was due in 2002.