Tribhuvan University Institute of Agriculture & Animal Science (IAAS) Directorate of Research & Publications Dean’s office Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Ref. No. Date: 01/03/2021
NOTICE
Subject: Proposal call for M.Sc. thesis research under VCDP
It is hereby informed to all the interested students of M.Sc. Ag. 2nd semester (Horticulture, Agri- economics and Plant Pathology) studying in TU/IAAS to submit their thesis research proposals on respective disciplines relevant to thematic areas identified by VCDP and submit to [email protected] no later than 11th March, 2021. Two project documents: (a) Brief introduction of value chain development of fruit and vegetables project and (b) Research agenda (priorities) for postgraduate research students 2021 are attached herewith for your reference.
……………………………. Hari Krishna Panta, Ph.D. Director
Brief Introduction of Value chain development of fruit and vegetables Project [VCDP]
Background Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly implementing the project on Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables Project (VCDP) focusing major road corridors of Province #3 and Gandaki Province (BP highway, Prithivi highway and Hetauda-Dumkibas section of East- West highway). This project aims to increase incomes for smallholder farmers, focusing on increased production, reduced postharvest losses, and the improved marketing system for selected fruit and vegetables. Cooperatives and farmers’ groups will have better access to production technology, as well as improved crop production practices. Postharvest technologies will be developed and rolled-out in collaboration with the Nepal Agriculture Research Council. Support to physical facilities, organizational management, and access to market price information will be given to collection centres and satellite markets to enhance market linkages.
Objectives The project agrees to achieve three outcome-level results as follows: Outcome 1: improve agricultural productivity through increased capacity of government agencies and better access to production technology by farmers. Outcome 2: reduce postharvest losses of selected fruit and vegetables by postharvest technology development. Outcome 3: better market linkages at local level
Focused crops: Fruits: 1. Banana, 2. Citrus (Lime, Mandarin orange and Sweet orange), 3. Papaya, 4. Pineapple, and 5. Watermelon
Vegetables: 6. Tomato, 7. Cauliflower, 8. Cabbage, 9. Capsicum, 10. Cucumber, 11. Radish, 12. Carrot, 13. Potato, 14. Onion, and 15. Garlic,
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Project Areas: S.N. District Name of Palika Road Corridor Name 1 Chitawan Rapti Municipality East-West Highway 2 Chitawan Khairahani Municipality East-West Highway 3 Chitawan Ratnanagar Municipality East-West Highway 4 Chitawan Bharatpur Metropolitan East-West Highway 5 Chitawan Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 6 Dhading Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 7 Dhading Siddhalek Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 8 Dhading Gajuri Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 9 Dhading Galchi Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 10 Dhading Thakre Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 11 Dhading Dhunibesi Municipality Prithvi Highway 12 Gorkha Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 13 Gorkha Gandaki Rural Municipality Prithvi Highway 14 Kaski Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan Prithvi Highway 15 Kavrepalanchok Banepa Municipality Araniko Rajmarg 16 Kavrepalanchok Dhulikhel Municipality Araniko Rajmarg 17 Kavrepalanchok Panchkhal Municipality Araniko Rajmarg 18 Kavrepalanchok Namobuddha Municipality BP Highway 19 Kavrepalanchok Roshi Rural Municipality BP Highway 20 Makwanpur Hetauda Sub Metropolitan East-West Highway 21 Makwanpur Manahari Rural Municipality East-West Highway 22 Nawalparasi Gaidakot Municipality East-West Highway 23 Nawalparasi Devchuli Municipality East-West Highway 24 Nawalparasi Kawasoti Municipality East-West Highway 25 Nawalparasi Madhyabindu Municipality East-West Highway 26 Ramechhap Khadadevi Rural Municipality Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bhttamod Rajmarg 27 Ramechhap Manthali Municipality Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bhttamod Rajmarg 28 Sindhuli Sunkoshi Rural Municipality Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bhttamod Rajmarg 29 Sindhuli Golanjor Rural Municipality Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bhttamod Rajmarg 30 Sindhuli Kamalamai Municipality Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bhttamod Rajmarg 31 Syangja Putalibazar Municipality Siddhartha Rajmarg 32 Syangja Phedikhola Rural Municipality Siddhartha Rajmarg 33 Tanahu Myagde Rural Municipality Prithvi Rajmarg 34 Tanahu Byas Municipality Prithvi Rajmarg 35 Tanahu Bandipur Rural Municipality Prithvi Rajmarg 36 Tanahu Bhanu Municipality Prithvi Rajmarg 37 Tanahu Anbukhaireni Rural Municipality Narayanghat-Mugling Rajmarg
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Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables in Nepal (VCDP)
Research Agenda (Priorities) for postgraduate research students 2021
SN Research Agenda Explanation 1 Effect of source of fertilizers Pre- and post-production application of nutrient on horticulture maturity, has impact on postharvest shelf-life. Examine postharvest life and quality of the effects on maturity indices and postharvest cucumber life at production site and end markets. 2 Effect of postharvest Postharvest applications of GA3, KMnO4 and treatments on shelf life of Salicylic acid are found effective to extend papaya postharvest shelf-life to different fruit species. Examine their technical and financial viability in our context. 3 Efficiency of low-cost ripening Develop and/or adapt low-cost ripening chamber for banana to small chamber and compare its efficiency with use of and medium farmers chemical like calcium carbide. 4 Management of plastic crates Assessment of the inoculum load, contribution to control spread of on disease spread with use of recycled plastic postharvest disease crates and identify suitable management options. 5 Use of nano technology for Use of nano zinc oxide and nano silver particles postharvest loss reduction in have shown promise to extend postharvest life papaya/banana/capsicum of fruits. Verify the technology in our context considering the cost involvement and economic return. 6 Packaging system for bulk Banana is either transported in bunch or hands transportation of banana using leaves as cushioning materials. Examine the alternative cushioning materials, their rate of use and cost effectiveness of using the alternative means. 7 Assessment of quality Different containers, size and maturity stages, standards of market arrival of grades are arrived at Kalimati from different vegetables from different production sites of Nepal and neighboring countries. Need to assess the situation of sources at Kalimati cauliflower, capsicum, cucumber, carrot and garlic. 8 Opportunities and challenges Assessment storage of fresh produces, economic of cold storage business in advantage of stored commodities and economic Bagmati and Gandaki viability of existing cold will be examined. provinces
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Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables in Nepal (VCDP)
SN Research Agenda Explanation 9 Management of major Examine the extent of losses due to postharvest postharvest diseases of diseases, their causes and develop/verify selected VCDP's commodities adoptable management practices. (commodities: cauliflower/tomato/ banana/potato seed/cabbage) 10 Use of different cushioning Transportation of fresh produces in Doko is materials to reduce unavoidable in hilly terrine, thus there is a need postharvest losses during to recommend a low cost and efficient cushioning technology to reduce postharvest transportation in Doko losses during the transportation from production sites to the roadhead in hilly areas.
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