National Agroforestry Policy 2019

National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 15 National Agroforestry Policy 2019 Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Singhadurbar, Kathmandu National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) Government of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Singhadurbar, Kathmandu National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)2 Approved by the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers) on 23 June 2019. 1 National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 1. Background Agroforestry is an integrated system of practicing agriculture, livestock farming and forest activities on the same unit of land. The agriculture, livestock farming and forest are the sectors that have importantly contributed to the economy of Nepal. It has potential to contribute positively in increasing the productivity / per unit land, enhancing food security, creating employment & livelihood opportunities, conservation of biological diversity and protection of the land, reduction of adverse impacts on climate change, and utilization of vacant & barren land, buffer zone and other marginalized lands with the integration of agriculture, livestock and forest activities in agroforestry system. Nepal has been traditionally practicing a system of integrated agriculture and forestry in various agroforestry forms. The act of planting trees in agricultural lands was started in the year 1972 from the Tamangadhi of Bara district in Nepal, which eventually undertaken to expand in other districts of Terai region. Various agencies of the agriculture and forest have been providing seeds, seedlings and technical support to improve livelihoods of the members of consumer groups of leasehold forest, develop private forest, produce forage and fodder grass, fruits, grains, vegetables and spices in private and agriculture land. Agroforestry development has been initiated in some of the districts under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization project. The Forestry Sector Strategy (2016 - 2025) has mentioned management of the private forest as a major programme under its recommendation. Under this, it is envisioned to make available the loan, grant and tax exemption in addition to the management of the market for the promotion of tree species in agricultural sector. The Agriculture Development Strategy, 2071 (2014) has stressed on the agroforestry system in order to increase the production and productivity through integrated management of the agricultural land. The National Forest Policy, 2075 (2018) was formulated which National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)2 incorporates the policy level provisions as: development, expansion and promotion of agroforestry including fruits to make it a means of earning, providing concessional loan in this sector, transferring technology, enhancing capacity of the land owners, promotion, and expansion of industries based in agroforestry. The programs like: biological diversity programme for Chure and Terai region, forest programme for livelihood, medicinal herbs production programme, and livelihood and food security through agroforestry and community forest programme conducted in the past had supported directly or indirectly in the development, research, dissemination and expansion of the agroforestry. At present, nurseries are providing planting material and technical services to plant tree species in agricultural land and in the private residential area. 2. Problems and Challenges There have been many problems created in the development of the agroforestry as a result of limited ownership of agricultural land by the families, dominance of middle and small farmers, lack of livelihood oriented farming system, inadequacy of improved technology, and lack of technological knowledge etc. The trend of fertile land remaining barren is increasing due to higher cost of inputs used in fertile lands, and lack of workers due to migration of youth. The problems have been appeared also in food and nutrition security and livelihood of the farmers in Nepal due to continuing reduction of fertile land availability per person. The agroforestry has not been expanded in an effective manner because of the lack of the market with attractive price for the goods and services produced through agroforestry. There are other problems, such as lacking selection of site specific appropriate agroforestry systems; study, research and extension of system specific appropriate agroforestry species; in addition, deficiencies about supply of seed, planting material, technical and financial assistance to meet expectations. There has been serious problems and challenges to protect, develop, and promote agriculture in areas adjacent to forests and protected areas. The National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 3 opportunity has now been created in these areas to develop agroforestry with appropriate species. Improves in livelihood and security of food, nutrition, and fuel for the small farmers is challengeable. The women in rural areas are still forced to profess hard labour and bear heavy work burden. The youth are forced to leave to the city and other countries due to the limited job opportunities in the villages. There is a possibility of creating less laborious self-employment opportunities, especially for women through agroforestry. In recent years, there has been some relaxations in felling, transportation, and marketing of some tree species grown outside the forest areas of Nepal. Still there is no sufficient relaxations for transportation, sale and distribution of all tree products sourced from private lands. This is creating obstruction in wider acceptance of forest species in agricultural land. 3. Need of New Policy It appears that various laws, policies and strategies have created obscurity in plantation, cutting and transportation of the trees in the farm land. There exist problems in transportation of the trees and non-wood forest products independently in lack of the clear policy. It is quite necessary to create appropriate mechanism to mainstream agroforestry throughout the country in coordination and cooperation with all relevant stakeholders, and policies and programs thereto. A clarity at policy level is required to have the effective research in the area of agroforestry, including development and dissemination of agroforestry systems for various agro-ecological areas, and to provide technical support to transform agroforestry to a result oriented option to provide improved livelihoods to farmers. It is desirable to ensure availability of the quality planting material to promote agroforestry, and establishment of value chains and market linkages through connect, establishment, and promotion of agroforestry based industries. Similarly, an agroforestry policy is necessary to resolve challenges of lacking credit facility considering trees as collateral, and an insurance system for agroforestry plantations. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)4 4. Vision To contribute in the national prosperity through the development, expansion and commercialization of the agroforestry system. 5. Objectives The objectives of this Policy are as follows: 5.1 To increase the production of the agricultural, livestock and forest products by increasing the productivity of the land and multipurpose use of the land, 5.2 To conserve environment and biological diversity by reducing pressure over forest, to maintain quality and to develop climate resilience ecosystem, 5.3 To create opportunities for livelihood, employment and income generation along with food security of the local communities by widely promoting agroforestry, 5.4 To contribute to the economy through commercialization and facilitation of investment opportunities in agroforestry, 5.5 To conduct study, research and capacity enhancement in agroforestry subjects. 6. Policy and Strategies The following Policies and Strategies shall be adopted in order to achieve the above mentioned goal and objectives: 6.1 Commercial and collective farming system of agroforestry system shall be prioritized and encouraged. 6.1.1 The special programs shall be launched at local levels having no natural forest or having less natural forest National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 5 for the development, expansion and promotion of the agroforestry systems. 6.1.2 The private, community, and cooperative sectors along with the federal, provinces and local governments shall be mobilized to develop, expand and commercialize agroforestry system. 6.1.3 The private and cooperative sectors shall be attracted towards commercialization of the agroforestry products. 6.1.4 Necessary infrastructure like, road, irrigation, tool, equipment, technology, and other facilities shall be made available for commercial and communal agroforestry. 6.1.5 The transportation, sale, and distribution of agroforestry products shall be facilitated. 6.2 Research on agroforestry, value chain and farmer's access to market shall be facilitated. 6.2.1 The study and preparation of the business plan for the enhancement of the value chain of the primary and refined agro-forestry products shall be facilitated. 6.2.2 The cooperative, small bazzar (haat) for vegetables and fruits, and the market infrastructure for agroforestry products shall be developed to facilitate sale and distribution of these products. 6.2.3 The multi-tier forest shall be developed with the plantation of the species of the medicinal herbs and other non-wood forest products in order to increase the gross productivity of the natural forests. 6.3 Industry based on agroforestry production and market arrangement shall be promoted. 6.3.1 The agroforestry system shall be identified and developed as industry and shall be expanded. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)6 6.3.2 Industries shall be established/ promoted to use locally produced goods through agroforestry, and technical assistance in marketing of such produced goods will be extended. 6.3.3 The notice and information for market of the raw materials produced by the agroforestry shall be facilitated through appropriate means. 6.4 Financial incentive shall be provided to agroforestry sector. 6.4.1 The necessary arrangements shall be made for the loan and insurance support for agroforestry. It shall be managed to acquire loan against the tree as a security. 6.4.2 The appropriate relief shall be provided to the loan and its interest in case of any loss accrued in the agroforestry as a result of any natural disaster. 6.4.3 The necessary arrangements in the matters like: grant in manure, concessional loan, exemption of interest in the loan obtained for the time till the harvesting of the crops and exemption of loan at the time of natural disaster shall be made for promotion of the agroforestry. 6.4.4 The production and distribution of the quality planting material of the recommended species for the agroforestry models shall be facilitated. 6.5 The agroforestry system shall be given priority in vacant, barren, fallow and marginalized land. 6.5.1 Potential new areas for the agroforestry systems shall be identified and prioritized. 6.5.2 Site specific agroforestry models shall be examined and recommended. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 7 6.5.3 The appropriate species in accordance with the agroforestry system shall be selected, examined and recommended. 6.5.4 The registration of the agroforestry systems shall be facilitated. 6.5.5 The management information system of the agroforestry system shall be established. 6.5.6 The Strategic-Plan, Procedure and Standards shall be prepared and enforced for the promotion of the agroforestry systems. 6.6 Special area based agroforestry models shall be developed and promoted on the basis of appropriateness. 6.6.1 The agroforestry systems based on cereals, pulses and oil seed crops in Terai and plain land; tree based in Chure and other sensitive slope land; fruit trees based in middle mountain region; medicinal herbs based in high mountain and high Himalayan region; fishery based in lakes and regions having water sources; and livestock farming based in mountainous regions with non-cultivated areas shall be promoted. 6.6.2 Less labour intensive agroforestry systems suitable to respective places shall be developed for the barren but cultivable land. 6.6.3 Tea/coffee and other multi-layered cash crops and fruits plantations shall be promoted in the private and leasehold forests without causing any effect on the status of the forest. 6.6.4 Suitable agroforestry systems shall be identified and program implemented, to control river bank cuttings, soil erosion and to minimize the disasters like floods and landslides. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)8 6.6.5 Model of suitable agroforestry systems shall be developed, implemented and expanded to minimize wildlife-human conflicts. 6.6.6 The campaign of planting local tree species of fruits in the degraded and vacant forest areas shall be conducted. 6.7 The priority shall be given to study, research, dissemination and capacity development in the field of agroforestry. 6.7.1 The study, research and extension methods shall be developed as integral part of the agroforestry programs. 6.7.2 The training, instruction and technical services shall be made available to individual farmers, and to institutions, organizations, farmer groups, and cooperatives willing to adopt agroforestry. 6.7.3 The necessary support and concession shall be provided to the employees or technicians willing to obtain higher education in agroforestry. 6.7.4 The public awareness on agroforestry systems shall be raised. 6.8 The system of coordination of agroforestry plan, budget and programs in all three levels, including national, provincial and local; and the system for monitoring and evaluation shall be developed. 6.8.1 The agroforestry programs shall be conducted in all three levels of the government in accordance with the Policy. The Agroforestry Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee shall have necessary coordination to prepare the policy and directive at provincial and local level as per the need. 6.8.2 The monitoring and evaluation of these initiatives shall be taken up at federal, province and local levels. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 9 7. Organizational Structure 7.1 The Government of Nepal shall form the Agroforestry Inter Ministerial Coordination Committee (AFIMCC) at the central level in order to implement the Agroforestry Policy: Agroforestry Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee shall be formed as follows: (a) Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Coordinator (b) Joint Secretary (Planning), Ministry of Forests and Environment Member (c) Agroforestry Focal Officer, National Planning Commission Member (d) Agroforestry Focal Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Member (e) Agroforestry Focal Officer, Ministry of Forests and Environment Member (f) Representatives (2), from Nepal Agriculture Research Council and concerned University Member (g) Representatives (2), from Federation of Farmers Group, Cooperatives Network and Forest Consumer Group Member (h) Organization working in cooperation with the Ministries in course of development and implementation of Agroforestry Policy Member The provinces and local levels shall manage organizational structure on the basis of local needs in consistent with the spirit and norms of this Policy and implement this Policy accordingly. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)10 7.2 The function and duties of the Committee shall be as follows: 7.2.1 To coordinate research, development, dissemination, and capacity enhancement in agroforestry; to ensure accountability in financial and administrative matters; and to provide a platform to have coordination, cooperation and participation among the stakeholders at local, provincial, and at the level of Government of Nepal. 7.2.2 The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development shall have the leading roles in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the National Agroforestry Policy. The committee shall identify problems and prioritize programs; develop strategies and coordinate; enhance capacity identify and mobilize resources for implementation of the policy, and will provide support in monitoring and evaluation, and in other managerial functions. 7.2.3 There shall be one agroforestry focal officer in each of the Ministries related to this Policy i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the Ministry of Forests and Environment to coordinate ministry’s role within the Agroforestry Inter Ministerial Coordination Committee, and overseeing implementation of the agroforestry programs. 7.2.4 To manage appropriate subsidies to organize youth, women farmers, farmers having less land, and Dalit farmers in the degraded forest area, agroforestry area and barren and semi-barren arable land while implementing the policy. 7.2.5 The Agroforestry Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee shall conduct monitoring and evaluation of National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076) 11 the activities implemented through policy in a regular basis. Additionally, the mechanism of monitoring and evaluation of the agroforestry related activities and the outcome from all three levels; federation, province and local level, shall be developed. 8. Financial Liability 8.1 To implement the agroforestry policy effectively, the necessary budget and programs shall be annually provided by the Government of Nepal, Provinces and Local governments. 8.2 The budget programme thus provided shall be implemented giving priority to the agroforestry programs at national, provincial and local levels. 8.3 The Agroforestry Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee would generate resources in cooperation with the national and international partner organizations and in coordination with the Ministry of Finance to implement the policy. 9. Legal Arrangement 9.1 All other related Policies, Regulations, Directives and Strategies shall be amended in consistent with this Agro-forestry Policy, once this Policy came into force. 9.2 The necessary Acts, Rules, Directives, Procedural Guidelines and Standards shall be managed in order to have effective implementation of this Policy. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)12 10. Review of Policy 10.1 The Coordination Committee shall review the Agroforestry Policy every year and submit the report. 10.2 On the basis of the report submitted by the Coordination Committee, the Government of Nepal shall review the Policy every fifth year. National Agroforestry Policy 2019 (2076)14 Print Support Ministry of Forests and Environment, REDD Implementation Centre, Kathmandu