SEED PRODUCTION AND INPUT STORAGE

SYSTEM WILL SERVE THE SMALL FARM REGIONS OF THE HILLS & THE TERAI. PROJ COMPONENTS ARE: 1) TRAINING OF SEED SPECIALISTS,GON AGRICULTURAL OFFICERS & FARMERS; 2) CONSTRUCTION & EQUIPPING OF SEED PROCUCTION, STORAGE, AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES; 3) SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH INTO FARMER ATTITUDES. LONG & SHRT-TRM ADVISORS WILL TRAIN PERSONNEL FROM THE AIC & OTHER AGENCIES IN SUCH AREAS AS MGMT OF SEED HOUSES & WAREHSES,RECORD-KEEPING,INVENTORY CONTROL,SEED PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING TECHNIQUES,EXTENSION TECHNIQUES,ETC. SIX PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS WILL HELP TRAIN FARMERS TO PRODUCE GOOD SEED. DEGREE & NON-ACADEMIC TRAINING WILL BE GIVEN IN INDIA & THE US TO 37 NEPALESE WHO WILL BE USED TO TRAIN FARM LEADERS & SEED PRODUCERS AND CONDUCT THE SEED PROG FOR THE AIC & DEPT OF AGR. DEGREE TRNG WILL FOCUS ON MGMT,BUSINESS ADMIN,ECON & RESEARCH. NON-ACADEMIC TRAINING WILL FOCUS ON SEED TECH & PROCESSING AND EQPMNT OPER & MAINT. FACILITIES CONSTRUCTED UNDER PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) 25 VILLAGE SEED HOUSES; 2) 2 SMALL DRYING UNITS AT BHAIRAWA AND RAMPUR PLUS 2 DEHUMIDIFIED AREAS; 3) UP TO 4 LARGER WAREHOUSES, LOCATED IN MAJOR BRANCHES OF WATERSHEDS, WHICH WILL BE SERVICED BY EXISTING LARGE WAREHOUSES AND WHICH WILL SERVICE THE SMALL WAREHOUSES FUNDED BY PROJECT; 4) 25 SMALL WAREHOUSES. ALL PROJECT WAREHOUSES WILL BE USED FOR THE STORAGE OF SEED, FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES. GRANT WILL FUND THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF ALL PROJECT FACILITIES SUCH AS HAND-POWERED SEED CLEANERS, DRYING EQUIPMENT, SHELLERS, SCALES, SEED ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES. A PRIMARY PROJECT OBJECTIVE WILL BE THE PROGRESSIVE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ESPECIALLY FARMERS, IN THE PRODUCTION AND WAREHOUSING OPERATIONS. FARMERS WILL EVENTUALLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GROWING ALL SEED PLANTS AND WILL OPERATE VILLAGE SEED HOUSES. FINAL PROJECT COMPONENT WILL COMPRISE RESRCH OF FARMER ATTITUDES ON COOPS AND UTILIZATION OF MODERN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, VILLAGE ORGANIZATION TECHNIQUES, EXPANSION OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS SYSTEM AND FARMER ACCEPTANCE.