USAID Funded Kisan II Project to Benefit 300,000 Farmers

The $32.7 million Kisan II project, launched by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will be implemented by Winrock International in 20 districts of Nepal over the next five years and is expected to benefit 300,000 farmers.

The project is an extension of Kisan I which had benefited 100,000 farmers in 16 districts earlier. Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot, Makwanpur and Kavrepalanchok are the four earthquake ravaged districts where Kisan II will be additionally implemented.

At a program organized to mark the occasion, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Michael C Gonzales said that the project is directed at supporting the entire value chain from the farmer to the consumer. He added that,

“The project’s objective is to ensure the supply of fresh and delicious cuisine prepared from high quality farm products produced at the local level.”

The Chargé d’Affaires opined that Nepal should transform from supplying unprocessed goods to processed ones and promote niche products such as cardamom and ginger besides ensuring their consistent supply in the global market.

Suraj Vaidya, past president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry has called for incentives from the government for promoting innovative farm products and commercial farming.