Nepal is a LDC and economy is basically sustained by Agriculture. Huge part of Nepalese population heavily engaged on traditional agricultural activities which even can't meet the subsistence need of farmers. This project tends to empower farmers of sindhuli (one of the poorest district of Nepal) by providing training and information related to sustainable and improved agricultural practices (especially organic vegetable farming). The selected best farmer of each month will be invited to local FM to tell their success stories which will be disseminated via project's official facebook as well
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Sindhulimadi, Sindhuli
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
I'm a youth and I would like to work in collaboration with other youths and youths related organizations. It is because I believe on youths and their genuine enthusiasm to transform their society.
As I'm the founder president of local NGO “Youth for Sustainable Development (YFSD)”, the members of this NGO including me together with local farmers of all ages will be engaged to make this project a success.
Local FMs are quite common these days in the district. But their application to promote organic agriculture is quite low. Therefore, a joint effort of me, members of YFSD, local FMs and few local youths will be there to promote organic farming enhancing farmers’ livelihood.
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
My facebook ID is koiraladhiroj@facebook.com and blog is available at koiraladhiroj.blog.com. In addition of me, members of YFSD and few local youths will be mobilized to carry out this project.
This project also needs cooperation with local FMs and agriculturalist. A close tie will be developed with District agriculture office and other stakeholders during project period.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Local FM stations and their users are increasing these days. Therefore, core intention of this project is to encourage farmers to promote organic agricultural farming. Thus, emphasis will be given to use organic technologies in agriculture as well.
First of all training related to organic farming will be organized, farmers will be trained and they will be convinced to implement. A program of 30 mins will be broadcasted 4 times a month via FMs. At the end of each month the change created by training and FM program on farmer will be received from one of the successful & best farmer of each month.
The changes seen in productivity and livelihood will be incorporated in the news and stories.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established or plan to establish that will contribute to the success of the project.
Firstly, I’m a local where I’m trying to implement the project. In addition, I’m also the one who have clearly seen the real scenario of local farmers.
Similarly as the president of YFSD we have conducted many environment related activities in the district. We also provide scholarship to a couple of financially disadvantaged students through Bright Future Scholarship Board of YFSD. YFSD is a non -profit, non-government organization led by youths.
All these linkages and experiences surely help me to plan and implement this project.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
There are 11 members of Youth for Sustainable Development (YFSD) including me. Similarly, few other youths will be accompanying directly with us. These youths will support during training and the entire project.
Likewise, this project aims to train directly around 50 farmers taking a time of a week. It is very difficult to transfer such knowledge to farmers within short duration. Therefore, the training will be conducted taking a week and perfect knowledge related to organic farming as per their requirement will be covered. Similarly, six best farmers for six different months will be invited to local FMs to broadcast their success stories telling the benefits of organic products.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
Laptop will be used for various tasks during the training program. Various tools and technologies related to organic farming which suits local condition as per the requirements will be applied during the training.
Various information during FM broadcast will be managed by organic farming experts.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
The workshop will be organized in Shree Jana Jyoti Higher Secondary School, Phosretar, Sindhuli where there is diploma (intermediate) in agriculture as well and have all the facilities, services and experts that we need to conduct this training.
I’m the ex-student of that school and they will be certainly ready to host this workshop at their school.
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
As I have already mentioned, I’m a local where I’m trying to implement the project. In addition, I’m also the one who have clearly seen the real scenario of local farmers.
Similarly as the president of YFSD we have conducted many environment related activities in the district. We also provide scholarship to a couple of financially disadvantaged students through Bright Future Scholarship Board of YFSD. YFSD is a non -profit, non-government organization led by youths.
All these linkages and experiences surely help me to plan and implement this project. Similarly, I’m the most appropriate because I’m among very few youths of my locality who are able to attain university education in technical subject. I’m the most appropriate because I’m a youth having a dream to make my society like a heav
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
I'm not expecting any big obstacle in this project except I may not find a good organic farming expert. It is because brain drain is quite prevalent among technical man powers of Nepal.
If I faced such problem I'll manage it by hiring my own brother who is a veteran agriculturist from Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Nepal.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
We will evaluate project’s impacts as follows
Primary participants: Their improved understanding related to organic farming and the way they changed their farming style after participating in training will be evaluated and measured. It will be clear during interview of best farmers of each month.
Wider and regional community: The whole Sindhuli district will listen the FM program and interviews of best farmers. Therefore, based on letters, emails or other types of responds from farmers’ wider impact will be evaluated.
Global community: The whole story will be disseminated via facebook and will help the world to have better and practical concept related to organic farming. We can have lots of comments and feedbacks on facebook.
This is how project will be evaluated.
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
Before September:- preliminary studies.
September (1-7):- Training and workshop on organic farming.
September, 2014- February, 2015:- FM Radio programs (4 times a month for 6 months). This program will be broadcasted by local Siddhababa FM. In total 6 best farmers for 6 different months will be interviewed.
March, 2015:- Final reporting.
Monitoring will be done over the entire project period and corrections will be made instantly.
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
Budgeting
Preliminary study: US $ 200 (It includes all works which creates foundation to implement the project)
Local travel fee: US $ 200
Training: $ 1,000 (Hall fee, equipment fees, expert fees, refreshment, stationeries and so forth)
Communication & internet: $ 300
FM fee: $ 800
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
1. Linkage with like-minded people.
2. Regular monitoring, contact and feedback.
3. Highlighting the project through its social Medias and web site.
4. Publications
5. Interaction with global community on my idea.
Contact name
Dhiroj Prasad Koirala
4 comments
good way to deal with project scenario
the project is good one.
Radio is for proximity communication and the rural radio for farmers is a good initiative that can go a long way to boost sustainable actions
You are exactly right Fai. FMs are good medium to promote agriculture in rural Nepal.