Press And Its Ethic

PRIME Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand called upon all media persons to work rationally and responsibly in disseminating information and educating the people. Addressing a function organized to mark the first anniversary of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Kathmandu the other day, Prime Minister Chand said that fair and impartial journalism is the need of the hour. It is vital for and bringing about positive changes in the society. In fact, free and impartial media is the hallmark of democracy. The role of the Fourth Estate, as observed by the Prime Minister, is crucial in moulding public opinion, and strengthening democracy. Press not only disseminates information and educates the people but also acts as a bridge between the people and the government. In other words, free, impartial and responsible press is the voice of the people and vanguard of people's rights and freedom. Thus, the role of media must be constructive and responsible. It is more so in the present context of Nepal. The country has been severely affected by violence and terrorism being perpetrated by a section of misguided element. Violence and terrorism is against democracy, people's rights, peace and development. People are clearly against violence and terrorism, which press must disseminate with prominence. Peace is the need of hour and that is also the wish of the people. Against such background, the role of Nepalese media should be more responsible and constructive in order to promote the culture of peace, stability and unity in the country. The role of media should be to discourage violence but not glorify and inflate it. Media can function freely and independently only in democracy. His Majesty's Government is committed to extending full cooperation for the healthy and positive development of Nepalese journalism. Minister for Information and Communication Ramesh Nath Pandey has also repeatedly expressed this commitment of the government for the development of media and has initiated some important measures for the same. As a result, Nepalese media has experienced significant changes and development over the last one decade. Nepalese media has, no doubt, been professional. But it needs to be more responsible and mature. The world has seen a tremendous progress in the field of information and communication, which has helped bring about dramatic, social and economic changes and development. Nepal also needs to reap the benefit of the revolution in the field of information and communication. Apart from some progress and achievements, Nepalese media also has a great challenge ahead. So far, Nepalese media is urban-based and majority of the rural people do not have access to it. This trend needs to be reversed for the healthy and sustainable development of the country. The initiatives must be taken from the media sector itself.

Climate-Specific Crops

THE Sunsari District Development Committee (DDC) and the District Agriculture Development branch, as per a news item carried by this daily the other day, jointly organised a three-day workshop in Inaruwa on formulating a long-term agriculture plan for the district. During the workshop, extensive talks were held on the type of agricultural produce that can be produced in a particular region in the district in view of Sunsari district's geographical diversity and how the quality of the produce can be improved. Nepal, due to its topographical configuration that rises from a few hundred feet above sea-level in the south to over 29,000 feet to the north, is endowed with diverse soil, weather and climatic conditions. All this has undoubtedly afforded the people, the vast majority of whom are small farmers, ample opportunities to grow diverse crops as per their small farms' locations. But despite such favourable soil, weather and climatic endowments, the majority of the farmers are still enamoured with crops that have been planted by their predecessors throughout the centuries. The farmers of Sunsari district are a case in point. As all know, Sunsari district, despite being situated in the flat, alluvial Terai region of the country in the south, also encompasses within its boundary diverse soil, weather and climatic conditions due to its undulating terrain that rises from the flat plains in the south and ends up as hills in the north. Notwithstanding this, the majority of Sunsari district's farmers seem to have set priorities as far as growing crops in their small farms is concerned. Paddy seems to be their first choice, followed by maize, millet and wheat, especially in non-irrigated farms.
No doubt, age-old agricultural practices, coupled with the lack of viable alternatives, could be the possible reasons behind the Sunsari farmers' choices concerning crops. But then, with farmers' small farms increasingly becoming smaller due to the existing inheritance law on the one hand and the burden of having to feed additional family members with the diminishing yields from their fragmented farms on the other, the need for the concerned authorities to avail them with soil, weather and climate-specific schemes has become urgent. By doing so, not only would they be enabled to optimally harness the existing soil, weather and climatic conditions to coax out more yields from their small farms, but more importantly, to uplift their low socio-economic status through augmented yields from their small farms.