WINSTON RUTHVEN RUDDER, representative of the Food And Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has been in Nepal for the last  three and half years. Rudder spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues  concerning Nepal's development efforts. Excerpts:

 How do you evaluate the role of the FAO in modernizing the agriculture and  forestry sectors?

FAO has been collaborating with HMGN in the development of agriculture (including livestock,forestry and fisheries) and the rural sector for the past 50 years. Over the period,  the Organisation's expertise has contributed to the improvement of the agricultural systems through: - capacity creation and institutional building - the Departments of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management and National Parks and Wildlife Conservation are examples; -human resources development - through training fisheries, agricultural planning and farmer training generally have benefitted; - specific technical interventions - fresh vegetable seed production and marketing; inland fisheries development (aquaculture); integrated pest management; forestry (community and leasehold forestry, watershed management) are but a few key initiatives. FAO was there at the birth of the modern dairy industry in Nepal with our very first activity (funded by the Government of Switzerland) in the early 1950's -  a cheesemaking project in Langtang and Thodung aimed at developing ways and means to better utilise surplus milk in remote mountain regions. In effect, the 50 year HMGN/FAO partnership has been a genuine search for sustainable strategies and approaches to meet the twin challenges of reducing poverty and enhancing food security in Nepal.

How about your involvement in the productivity sector?

FAO's interventions in cooperation with the relevant HMGN agencies, other development partners, NGOs and farmers' organisations have focused on enhancing productivity through the wider application of appropriate technology and the full participation of beneficiary communities. Major areas include: use of good quality seed, efficient water management, prudent use of agri-chemicals and integrated pest management. Experience indicates the possibility and scope for increasing agricultural production and productivity utilising technologies already known and tested in Nepal. However it is important to involve farmers, including women farmes, from the outset. A recent example is the on-farm water management project, currently being implemented in 9 districts (18 sites) involving the Departments of Irrigation and Agriculture, linking provision and management of water with crop production with full farmer participation in the management of the process.

 How do you see the role of women in the agriculture sector?

Women constitute half the population of Nepal and contribute up to 80 percent of the labour involved in agricultural activity. In additon, in many rural communities the number of female-headed households is significant. It is critical for long-term growth and sustainabiltiy  of agriculture, the rural economy and the country as a whole that the voices of women be heard and they, by right, have a more decisive role in matters related to development. Our WIN project is piloting initiatives aimed at contributing to gender/women empowerment; improving household food security, nutrition  and health and enhancing water management in Kanchanpur, Bardyia and Doti. We are looking at the entire range of technologies and seeking to ensure gender-sensitive approaches. We are focusing much more intently on the gender dimensions and soci-economic aspects of our interventions. A key concern relates to implementation. More particularly the need for greater cooperation and collaboration among and across the several HMGN agencies involved in development. Agricultural and rural development requires concerted, coherent and synergistic action on the part of the agencies responsible for agriculture, irrigation, local developemnt roads and rural electrification and the local government bodies working with the rural communities.

 Don't you think more can be done?

Of course, much more can be done. We have to focus our programs in neglected rural areas and in those marginalised, disadvantaged communities.  We need to do more in the hill and mountain areas, where poverty is rampant and food  insecurity is a major problem. Technology, knowledge and information  within the rural community itself must be more fully exlpoited. The rural community has views about its development requirements and must be invited to have its say. The DDC/VDC chairmen and members of parliament of hill or mountain districts have to sit down with their constituents and identify the community needs, the key challenges, their priorities. There is much scope to learn from each other en route to finding solutions. I believe ideas re possible solutions to such issues as poverty reduction and food insecurity could and should come from the people. We have a lot to learn from the seemingly simple rural folk.

 How do you see the forestry sector?

 It is impossible to achieve lasting success in forestry development without community participation. Talking about agriculture and land and water management  means talking about forestry as well, as they are interlinked. The forestry sector here has achieved tremendous success because of community participation. These successes help foster increases in agricultural productivity enhancing soil management and inhibiting erosion. We were involved in a leasehold community forestry project in 10 districts. It proved to be a sound basis for poverty alleviation and is currently being extended to 16 additional district with HMGN funding. This project has shown how we can  bring the Department of Forest and Department of Livestock in an initiative  that contributed not only to enhance degraded forestland but also increase the income-generating opportunities of poor and marginalized farmers. FAO was also a pioneering partner in community forestry in Nepal. The country has earned world-wide recognition for successful community forestry.

 How has the ongoing violence affected projects launched by the FAO?

The general state of insecurity in the rural areas has hampered specific project activities. Movement is restricted, activities have been postponed and some expansion proposals reviewed. This is a major drawback.  The rate and pace of development is being severely retarded.  We cannot visit certain project sites,  for example. I enjoy visiting the project and program sites. Now I feel  restricted. 

Which region is most affected, the hills or terai?

The hill districts of the mid- and far-western regions are mostly affected in this regard. But in some of the areas in the terai, particularly north of the East-West highway, mobility is restricted  because of insecurity. Up to a few months ago, there was no difficulty in visiting many parts of rural Nepal. The situation has  deteriorated.

How do you assess the recent Nepal Development Forum meeting?

The government laid out its strategic direction for the next five years, with continued emphasis on poverty reduction, and the key role of agriculture in the upcoming Tenth Development Plan.The strategy also identifies priority areas. and a Medium Term Expenditure Framework to link the strategy with the annual budget. Prioritization of programs by all government agencies is a good step toward given the context of limited resources. There is probably need to move full speed ahead towards refining these priorities, particularly to ensure that they contribute to the pro-poor objective. Further refinement may be needed in light of the persistence of the conflict in the country.

 How do you see Nepal's development prospects?

 I have been here for three and half years representing institution with a long history of relationship with Nepal. Changes have taken and are taking place. A major challenge is to effectively mobilize the collective energy and wisdom of the people for the development of the country for all Nepalis. A participatory approach is very effective in development. The government has already adopted a decentralization strategy and policy. A greater degree of urgency is required toward ensuring that the instruments and modalities of decentralization are fully in place and well supported so that people in far-flung and rural areas, the deprived and marginalised have assured access to such services as health, education, transport, markets, agriculture and livestock.