Land Reform
Still A Distant Dream

By Ambar Mainali

IT is indeed quite alarming that Nepal, which once was an exporter of food grains, has now turned into an importer of the same. There has been a decreasing trend in per capita food grain production over the years. The population growth rate in the early eighties stood at 2.5 per cent while agricultural growth was nearly three percent. The then agricultural growth superseded the population growth rate by 0.5 per cent. But the case turned out to be different when entering the new millennium.

Statistics

The agricultural production over the span of twenty years has not been able to keep abreast with the burgeoning population. Though official statistics show that there has been an increase in the per hectare production of wheat and other crops, still the annual production is far from adequate to support the growing population. The per capita food grain production, which stood at 376 Kg in the year 2032 B.S. decreased to 277 Kg in the year 2049 B.S. according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

Similarly, the poverty incidence, which stood at 40 per cent in the year 2034 B.S. went up to 49 per cent in the year 2049 B.S. This was accompanied by an increasing trend in the ratio of agriculture import to agricultural export. The ratio of agricultural import to agricultural export had gone up by 1.5 per cent between the years 2032 B.S. to 2036 B.S. There was an increase of one per cent in the same ratio between the years 2047 B.S and 2050 B.S. according to official figures. Now looking at the figures the question as to why Nepal has failed to boost its agricultural productions and regain its export status is often raised.

The factors behind the inability to keep agricultural production at par with the rate of population growth are lack of clear-cut strategy and failure to emphasize sectoral growth. Other factors that have often been identified for decreased agricultural productivity are inability to meet the year round demand of fertilizers and the lack of infrastructure base for year round and controlled irrigation. The absence of improved farm technology is one other factor for low productivity. The initiatives for improving the feudal state of land ownership were spearheaded in the year 1956 with the enactment of the Land and Cultivation Record Compilation Act. This was given continuity with the Lands Act in 1957 when the government began to compile tenants' records. These Acts certainly helped to improve the state of land holdings but the state of small farmers did not improve, which called for further initiatives.
The Agricultural Reorganization Act, passed in 1963 and the Land Reform Act, passed in 1964 , underscored the need to provide security to the tenant farmers and also put a ceiling on landholdings. There were several loopholes in the Acts, which enabled large landholders to control most of the lands. There was some success in protecting the rights of the tenant farmers, but not much was achieved in land redistribution.

The country still has the predominance of small farmers. There are nearly 64 per cent small farmers and of them 39 per cent have less than half hectare of land. Other prominent features of Nepalese agriculture have been low productivity, land degradation, land fragmentation, deforestation and lack of technical knowledge. As of 1990, average land holdings remained small. The manifestos of the political parties, have emphasised the need to bring about thorough land reform to boost productivity and accordingly bolster the economy. But all of them failed to put their words into action. The political parties did try and work things out but political instability that loomed large in the past twelve years proved to be a major setback to all efforts geared at land reform. The political parties elected to power failed to gain the confidence of the parties in the opposition, which had a negative bearing on the overall efforts to bring about land reform.

Moreover the parties were filled with extreme bias for one another and dumped the reports prepared on many social issues including land reform. The Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) during its rule as the minority government had formed a Commission to conduct an overall study of the state of agricultural land in the country under the Chairmanship of the then member of the parliament Keshab Badal. The Badal Commission did submit a report to the government. There was the change of government after nine months and the report did not figure anywhere in the agenda of the succeeding government.

The Nepali Congress government headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba in the year 2058 B.S. came up with a popular policy of land reform and even initiated steps to verify the state of the total land area in the country and probe individual landholdings. Though there was much hue and cry and a commitment to seize the land of individuals who had violated the prescribed land ceilings, the Nepalese people never came across a single case where such land was confiscated and the concerned individual penalised. Hence the efforts of the Deuba government to bring about land reform failed. Though it was a humble step, unfortunately it did not materialise due to reasons unknown.

Unfortunate

It is indeed unfortunate that a poor country like Nepal, which has an agrarian economy, has failed to step up efforts to bring about land reform in the true sense. The actual farmers in Nepal do not have adequate land to till. This has led to the lowering of productivity. Going by the development history of countries that have now achieved a lot in the economic front, it is clear that they had started their development endeavour through honest efforts in the area of land reform. Unless the land that Nepal has is used to the maximum level through the mobilisation of people who are directly linked with the land, Nepal will go on spending millions to import food grains to feed its growing population.

SARS: A Threat To Global Health

By Balaram Chaulagain

AT a time when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a deadly disease is raising its ugly head posing a great threat to public health, epidemiology and disease control division of Department of Health Services has come up with necessary action plan. All set is prepared to tackle the scourge if it strikes Nepal.

A rational policy of standard information, education and communication is the need of the hour to create awareness among the general masses about the killer disease. If medical authorities and mass media lack co-ordination and fail to impart proper information, SARS may be devastating for the country's health sector. With a view to muster our forces in helping to provide everyone with modern scientific publicity and allowing the general masses to get hold this sort of knowledge the authorities at the Health Ministry are trying their best to sensitise the people about the disease.

Since it was first detected in Guangdong province of China in November, SARS has spread worldwide, killing more than 185 people and infecting over 3,500.

In fact, SARS is not a disease. It is an acronym to hit the media which stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome. SARS is an atypical pneumonia of still unknown etiology characterised by high fever, cough with difficult breathing along with sign a symptoms of influenza. The ever first new disease of the 21st Century SARS spreads by person to person contact. Direct contact with the infected body fluids of the victim is also considered as one of the attributing factors behind the rapid spread of SARS. Till date, no cure of it has been found. Scientists have recently confirmed that corona virus is the ultimate cause of this dreaded disease.

As per recent information, China's Guangdong, Shanxi, and Hong Kong special administrative region, Toronto of Canada and Hanoi of Vietnam are the worst hit areas.Yet the malady is spreading its tentacles in other parts of the globe. Luckily, Nepal has not been affected by SARS so far. Diseases like SARS and other contagious ones do not obey the political boundaries of any country. As of a news item of April 19, 2003, India also has reported second confirmed case of SARS.

The ballooning situation of SARS across the South Asian nations is a matter of serious concern for us. If SARS enters into the county, it may kill anyone and jeopardise whole economy. As such, priority should be accorded high in preventing measures prior to it enters the country. All possible travelers either from ground route or air should be fully sensitised so as to make them aware of the impact of the scourge.

In the same way, question may arises what would be the preventive measures in Nepal. In this regard, all travelers are urged not to travel abroad unless unavoidable. To attain this goal high attention should be paid in the field of civil aviation affairs. All passengers arriving from affected countries should be isolated and pursue a through medical check up.

The incubation period of the disease is 2-7 days with a maximum of 10 days. During this convalescent period disease may erupt any time. Therefore, quarantine is the best way out to escape from the alarming threat of the disease. Sometime it will be impossible to keep any suspected traveler up to 10 days.

Doctors of affected countries say most patients recover with prompt treatment. But the treatment against SARS needs extra medical resources and skills. Patients suspected of SARS must be diagnosed early and nursed intensively in isolation wards. Besides, treatment involves respirators and expensive steroids. Doctors, nurses and other attendants must wear anti-infections suits, gloves and mask that they throw away after one use. Treatment of SARS is too much costly, hence prevention through awareness is a breakthrough to avoid the scourge.

The passengers who had visited the SARS affected countries must be traced. All air passengers are requested to fill in the SARS surveillance form at Tribhuvan International Airport. Forms are freely available for all passengers arriving from the SARS hit countries. According to plan and policy adopted by Department of Health Services in Nepal, Teku Infectious Disease Hospital has been selected as a referral hospital for SARS suspected cases. Besides, other referral hospitals located in Kathmandu Valley and major hospitals outside the Valley are also arranged for SARS suspected cases.
Furthermore, teams of health personnel have been deputed at Tribhuvan International Airport to manage the situation. With a view to trace the suspected cases of SARS from China a surveillance desk has been set up at Tatopani immigration office of Sindhupalchowk district. All concerned are cordially requested not to make unnecessary travel to SARS affected countries. In case of any questions, the interested persons can contact at 4255796 or 4262268 at epidemiology and disease control unit of Department of Health Services.

Expression Through
Audio Letter

By Nil Bahadur Khadka

THIRTY five year old Saraswati Chouhan of Sarlahi does not understand anything written on a paper as she is illiterate. She has to run around a lot to hear what her husband has written in a letter sent to her from Qatar where he works. She is also unable to reply back. But, now she is busy expressing herself in a letter being sent to her husband. The address is written with the help of someone else.
Similarly, 31 year-old Sharmila Thapa Magar of Rajghat is also an illiterate. Although she cannot write, she is able to read with much difficulty. Her husband is also working in Qatar. Although she could read the letters sent by her husband with much difficulty, it was impossible for her to write a reply. But, now she is able to express everything in the letter to her husband.

Similarly, Dil Kumari Phunyal of Rauthat had to run to her family home to listen to what her husband in Malaysia had written to her. She also sought the help of her brother in sending a reply and she could not express all her inner feelings. But, now Dil Kumari has got some relief in expressing all her feelings to her husband without running to her family home all the time.

Kalawati Raut of Hajaria could not express the misbehavior meted by her brother in law regarding land issues to her husband working in Qatar. She did not have the courage to make others write on the issue. But, now she is able to express everything in the letter she sends to her husband.
All of these women are now able to listen to their husband's feelings and express themselves openly through the support of audiocassettes. This has come as God's gift to the illiterate women living in the rural areas of our country. This technology has brought about a revolution among illiterate women. At present, all the illiterate women of Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, etc., of the middle terai region record their feelings in an audiocassette and send these to their husbands. According to Saraswati Chouhan, the mechanism of recording the feeling in an audi cassette and sending it through a sealed envelope has become very helpful. According to Parvati Thapa of Rauthat, she had no knowledge that such recordings were possible. When her husband sent a cassette inside a letter for the first time, she had been confused. She had wondered why her husband had sent a cassette instead of a watch. She figured that the cassette must have some songs but when she listened to it she was amazed to hear her husband's voice expressing his well-being. Since then, as per her husband's instruction she started recording her feelings and sending the cassette by mail. She now feels much better since she does not have to find someone to write the letter.

Sharmila Thapa of Sarlahi shared the same kind of experiences when she first received a cassette from her husband in Qatar. When she listened to his voice, she felt that he was standing right in front of her. Now, she does not have to run and find someone as soon as she receives a letter.
Dil Kumari mentions that this new method is very effective since only the address needs to be written down. The privacy in listening to the voice and in expressing one's own feelings can be maintained which has given much benefit to the women.

The audio letters have supported the rural women to a great extent. According to Goma Adhikari, President of Women Awareness Center, Sarlahi - the audio letter technology has helped in bringing couples much closer. Illiterate women are now able to express their feelings confidently to their husbands who are far away. This technology has brought about a revolution in the lives of illiterate women.

Sancharika Samuha