Students return home from Israel after agriculture training

Fifty-four students returned home after receiving 10-month agriculture training in Israel.

The students left for Israel for agriculture training – at the joint initiation of Sana Kisan Bikas Bank and Israeli Embassy in Nepal – to get first hand  knowledge on agriculture.

Organising a press meet here today, the returnee students shared their experience from the Israel visit. They also asked the government not to impose any tax on agricultural machines and equipments import, apart from subsidising loan for agriculture-based projects.

They also suggested to focus on only one crop and use scientific and high-tech tools and machines rather than growing multiple crops in the traditional farming system.

Congratulating the returnees, chief executive officer of Sana Kisan  Bikas Bank, Jalan Kumar Sharma said that fifty four students from two districts – Dhading and Makawanpur – have returned home while 205 students from eight districts have been currently receiving training at various training centres and colleges in Israel.

 Likewise, agriculture secretary Jaya Mukunda Khanal, on the occasion, said that the students would have learnt some more knowledge on agriculture.

The preparation is underway to send additional 515 students from 21 districts to Israel for agriculture training.

ADB hands over Nepal's First wind-solar hybrid system to government

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) handed over its pilot project on wind solar hybrid energy system to Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) of the Ministry of Environment here at the Nepal Resident Mission today.

The wind-solar hybrid system was installed in Dhaubadi village of Nawalparasi district in December 2011 under ADB’s regional technical assistance for Effective Development of Distributed Small Wind Power Systems in Asian Rural Areas for which the AEPC was the implementing agency in Nepal.

The $3.8 million regional technical assistance was part of ADB’s 'Energy For All' initiative that supports increasing access to energy in remote rural areas. Along with Nepal, the regional technical assistance covers Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Maldives.  

“The project is now providing electricity services to 46 rural households of Dhaubadi," said ADB’s country director for Nepal Kenichi Yokoyama, speaking at the handover event.

It was the pilot for the hybrid wind and solar system in Nepal, he said, adding that the success of this project has demonstrated that it is indeed viable to provide reliable energy access to rural Nepal through solar wind hybrid systems as one of the clean energy options.

He also said that the lessons learned from this project will be very useful in scaling up the systems across Nepal, as well as in other developing member countries of ADB.

The project is based on ‘energy systems’ planning approach and has installed two sets of 5 kW wind turbines complimented by 2 kWp of solar PV panels to satisfy the village’s electricity demand of 43.6 KWh per day.

The electricity from the mini-grid has helped the villagers in Dhaubadi save time and money spent on their search for firewood. Electricity has also eased a hard life by allowing women to cook and clean, children to study after dark and improved overall productivity of households.

Director of the Energy Division at South Asia Department ADB Yongping Zhai and acting executive director at the AEPC Ram Prasad Dhital signed the transfer document of the wind-solar hybrid system from ADB to AEPC starting June 13.

"ADB is now supporting the Nepal to scale up similar initiatives in other rural areas of the country under its proposed SASEC power system expansion project,” Zhai said, after signing the handover document.

"Under the proposed SASEC power system expansion project, the off-grid component with more than 4.0 MW of mini hydro and 500 kW mini grid based solar or solar and wind hybrid system will be added," he said, adding that it will provide access to electricity and facilitate productive energy use activities in rural locations from various sources of energy like mini hydro, wind energy, solar energy and wind solar hybrid energy systems.

Financial sector discuss risk management guidelines for environment-friendly banking

IFC – a member of the World Bank Group – and bankers engaged in a stimulating dialogue today towards developing an environmental and social risk management framework that will assist the financial sector assess environmental risks and develop mitigation strategies when taking credit decisions.

The IFC-hosted workshop was part of the first multi-stakeholder consultation towards streamlining and integrating environmental and social risk management processes across the sector. Participants also discussed monitoring and evaluation tools, and the need for training and capacity building to equip bank staff to make these assessments.

Supported by the central bank, the event brought together officials from the central bank, commercial banks, bank and trade associations, National Banking Institute, relevant government ministries, and development partners.

"Business growth and development objectives have to be met while minimising adverse environmental and social impacts," central bank governor Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said, adding that the leadership role of central banks is key. "Nepal Rastra Bank will give top priority to environmental and social risk performance improvements in banks and financial institutions."

A robust environmental and social risk management framework helps banks evaluate projects by identifying, managing and mitigating social and environmental risks before confirming to lend. It also helps banks protect themselves from litigation and heavy fines for supporting projects that may have environmentally detrimental outcomes or unethical labor practices.

In Nepal, the initiative will build on experiences and lessons learned from similar interventions in other markets, especially Asia. In the past, IFC and Bangladesh Bank co-developed a national environmental risk management policy and strategy framework, which is now mandatory for Bangladesh’s financial institutions.

"Good environmental and social risk management is good business," IFC resident representative for Nepal Val Bagatsing said, adding that IFC has played an important role in other emerging markets in ensuring sustainability by working closely with central banks in developing guidelines for better risk management in this space and instituting training modules to build capacity.

Globally, IFC sets standards in bringing sustainability to the forefront of the development debate within the financial sector. IFC’s performance standards have evolved into a global environment and social risk management framework for development and private sector banks.

जापानले थानकोट सुरुङमार्ग बनाउन सघाउने

जापान सरकारले थानकोटमा सुरुङमार्ग बनाउन सघाउने भएको छ। नेपालका लागि जापानी राजदूत मासासी ओगावाले पत्रकारसँग कुरा गर्दै जापान सरकारले त्रिभुवन राजमार्गमा हालको अव्यवस्थतालाई सुरुङमार्गले सहज बनाउन मद्दत गर्ने विश्वास पनि व्यक्त गरे। देशभित्र तथा बाहिरको सवारी आवागमनमा मात्र होइन अर्थतन्त्रको पनि मेरुदण्डको रूपमा रहेको त्रिभुवन राजमार्गको थानकोटखण्डको अस्तव्यस्थताले यात्रुले कष्ट उठाउनुपरेको छ। त्रिभुवन राजपथ काठमाडौंलाई बाँकी देशसँग जोड्ने सबैभन्दा सहज राजमार्ग हो। यो राजमार्गको प्रयोग गरेर दैनिक हजारौं यात्रु काठमाडौं आवतजावत मात्र गर्दैनन्, दैनिक उपभोग्य सामान एवं देशको महत्त्वपूर्ण व्यापारको ठूलो मात्रा यो राजमार्गबाटै भित्रिन्छ र बाहिरिन्छ। 
‘जापान सरकार नेपाली जनताको सहज आवागमनको लागि थानकोटमा २.३ किलोमिटरको सुरुङमार्ग निर्माणमा सहयोग गर्न चाहन्छ’, उनले भने, ‘जापान सरकारसँग अत्याधुनिक प्र्रविधि भएकोले जापान प्रविधि हस्तान्तरण गर्न चाहन्छ।’ 
अघिल्लो साता भौतिक पूर्वाधार तथा यातायात मन्त्रालयका सचिव तुल्सीप्रसाद सिटौलाको नेतृत्वमा नेपाली टोली सुरुङमार्गका लागि प्राविधिक र सैद्धान्तिक ज्ञान हासिल गर्न आठ सदस्यीय टोली जापान पनि गएको थियो। नेपाल सरकारले एक वर्षअगाडि नागढुंगा सडकखण्डमा सुरु ङमार्ग बनाउने विषयमा अध्ययन गरेको थियो। यसबाट २.३ किमि लामो सुरुङ नागढुंगाको इमाखेलदेखि नौबीसेको सिस्नेखोलासम्म बनाउने निर्णय भएको थियो। 
यस आयोजनाले मूर्तरूप लिएमा नेपालको सुरुङमार्ग यातायात क्षेत्रमा ठूलो सहयोग पुग्ने र भविष्यमा पनि अन्य सुरुङमार्गको लागि बाटो खुल्नेछ। 
यसैगरी, राजदूत ओगावाले जापानले नेपालको पूर्वाधारको विकासमा मद्दत गरिरहेको र अझ मद्दत गर्ने चाहना भएको पनि बताए। ‘बनेपा-बर्दिबास बीपी राजमार्ग आगामी मार्च महिनामा सम्पन्न हुने बताउँदै उनले यो राजमार्गले काठमाडौंदेखि तराईको दूरी मात्र छोट्ट्याएको होइन त्यसभेगका कृषकको कृषिजन्य उत्पादनले बजार पनि पाउने र उनीहरूको जीवनस्तरमा सुधार आउने पनि उनले बताए। 
६ महिनाअघि मात्र नेपाल आएका राजदूत ओगावाले शान्तिपूर्ण दोस्रो संविधानसभाको चुनाउको माध्यमबाट नयाँ सरकार बनेको र नेपालमा समयमा नै संविधान आउनेमा विश्वस्त हुँदै धेरै जापानीहरू नेपालीको बारेमा अझै परिचित नभएको तर नेपाल आउन चाहेको पनि बताए। ‘जापानले नेपालको जनशक्तिको विकासमा पनि मद्दत गरिरहेको छ’, उनले भने, ‘तर जिट्कोमा केही समस्या आएको भए पनि राजदूतावासले त्यसलाई सहजीकरण गर्न मद्दत गर्ने कोसिस गर्नेछ।’ 

Innovation: Key to Nepal’s Entrepreneurial Future

Four young men – Sajag Shrestha, Rajesh Sharma, Sanjay C K and Kailash Gyawali – dreamt of cashing on advertising on mobile phones. As the mobile penetration rate has been increasing in the country, they thought of linking advertisements to the mobile and making people watch ads directly while receiving their call.

They got a platform to realise their dream when F1 Soft saw potential in their idea and supported them.  Their innovation CashOnAd became popular in the market with highest downloads from the Google store in a short span of time. The application that helps people en-cash their incoming calls by watching ads on their mobile has taken the market by storm – it’s a new concept!

However, not all the young entrepreneurs are as lucky and many struggle to be given the opportunity to realize their potential.  Their dream projects die an immature death due to lack of institutional and legal support. In the country where cheap duplicate products flood the market, it's more difficult to be original and innovative.

The Nepali private sector claims that despite the obstacles and lack of opportunities where innovation is encouraged, however few in numbers, there is a breeding group of young and innovative ideas waiting to break ice. "Depending on the type of sector one is engaged in, the private sector is innovative," claims Sr. Vice President of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Hari Bhakta Sharma.

But, there are more copy cats and less innovation in the Nepal Inc.

"As the country is still in its initial phase of industrial and economic development, there are more copy cats”, he says, adding that imitation is a worldwide trend but it has to go beyond that and graduate to innovation and then invention. But does Nepal encourage such environment – after all, the mantra to remain in the market is innovation. Nepal Inc's focus on research and development is far too less to be innovative. Likewise, lack of institutional and legal support – that could have guaranteed intellectual property rights – is another hurdle why Nepal may not see the likes of a Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.

Though the country has Patent Design and Trademark Act 1965, which is in the process of amendment and Industrial Property Act that is also being amended soon to make it compatible with Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, they have not been able to guarantee and protect innovation and intellectual property rights. An almost four decade old legal mechanism definitely fails to safeguard the present needs of the industry making it least innovative.

The private sector must take into concern that without innovation, industry cannot survive for long. Lack of innovation not only damages a brand or an industry but bleeds the whole economy white. A once thriving garment industry – that used to be one of the largest foreign currency earners – is on its death bed due to lack of innovation and legal support mechanism. Had the garment industry been more innovative and able to diversify its products and markets, it could have survived. Innovation needs hard work, consumes more time, capital and knowledge also.

But it's easier to copy and make money overnight. Some fly-by-the-night operators have contributed to this extensively.  Lack of education and social awareness is also known to encourage copy cats. The education system should be innovation friendly unlike the current system that is more exam-oriented. "Education and society, both, should support entrepreneurship and innovation," the CNI vice president thinks, also suggesting the government filter approvals for setting up industry giving impetus to those who promote the culture of innovation.

After 1990, the country embraced free market economy to ensure a competitive market and smooth supply of quality goods and services at affordable rates. But it failed to promote fair competition. The Nepali private sector in this period has seen an increase in unhealthy competition, cartels and syndicates in the name of free market.

Despite the odds, there are young and aspiring entrepreneurs at every corner of the country. Agrees social entrepreneur Dr Bishal Dhakal, "There is enough innovation among our young entrepreneurs but they lack institutional and legal support," he says, adding "they require marketability of their product."

The decade long insurgency has not helped. The private sector has focused more on trading instead of growing sectors like information and technology, health, education and energy that supports innovation. "There are enough sectors, where entrepreneurs can be innovative and make money too," social entrepreneur Anil Chitrakar opines.

"Off grid energy, health and education are some of the areas where we see good innovations," he says, adding that these sectors have been driven by a small handful of entrepreneurs, which needs to be multiplied. Suggesting to look towards young start ups, he asks to feature them and support them with enough institutional and legal mechanism. "Business schools need to take the lead and more venture funds need to support their dreams," he adds. "Young people will take over, it's just a matter of time," states Chitrakar. The country is waiting!

(Published in Business 360 magazine February 2014 issue)

काठमाडौंलाई पछि पार्दै समृद्ध बन्यो कास्की

कास्की देशभरिमै सबैभन्दा कम गरिबी भएको जिल्ला भएको छ। केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभागको लघु क्षेत्र गरिबी अनुमान प्रतिवेदनका अनुसार कास्की नेपालभरिमै उच्च समृद्धिस्तर भएका जिल्लामा प्रथम स्थानमा परेको हो।
२०५८ सालको प्रतिवेदनमा काठमाडौं प्रथम, भक्त पुर दोस्रो, ललितपुर तेस्रो, कास्की चौथो र चितवन पाँंचौं भएका थिए। एक दशकपछि २०६८ सालको प्रतिवेदनमा राजधानी काठमाडौंलाई उछिन्दै कास्की देशभरिमा नै सबैभन्दा कम गरिबी भएको जिल्ला हुन पुगेको छ।
यस्तै बाजुरा सबैभन्दा न्यून समृद्धिस्तर भएको जिल्लाका रूपमा देखिएको छ। १० वर्षअघिको सिन्धुलीको स्थान लिँदै यो पुछारमा पुगेको हो। राष्ट्रिय योजना आयोगका पूर्वउपाध्यक्ष्य दीपेन्द्रबहादुर क्षेत्रीका अनुसार देशभरिबाट मानिसको चाप काठमाडौंमा बढेकोले सहरी गरिबी बढेको हो। ‘पर्यटन क्षेत्रको आम्दानी र रेमिटान्सको वृद्धिले पनि कास्कीमा गरिबी घटेको हो’, उनले भने।
केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभागले दोस्रोपटक विश्व ब्यांकको प्राविधिक सहयोगमा स्थानीयस्तरको गरिबीको दर, गरिबीको विषमता र गरिबीको गहनता अध्ययन गरी प्रतिवेदन तयार गरेको हो। प्रतिवेदनले गरिबीको दरको आधारमा जिल्लालाई २५-२५ वटाका तीनवटा समूहमा वर्गीकरण गरी विगत १० वर्षको अन्तरालमा भएको समृद्धिस्तर निर्धारण गरेको हो।
एक दशकअघिको अनुमानको आधारमा उच्च समृद्धिस्तरमा परेका २५ जिल्लामध्ये अहिले मनाङ, मुस्ताङ, पर्सा, म्याग्दी, धनुषा, सप्तरी, सिरहा, बारा, रौतहट, दोलखा र जुम्ला गरी ११ जिल्ला यो समूहबाट बाहिरिएका छन्।
यी जिल्लाले आफ्नो साबिकको स्थान कायम राख्न सकेनन् तर १० वर्षमा मध्यम वा निम्न समृद्धिस्तरमा रहेका इलाम, पाँचथर, स्याङ्जा, काभ्रेपलान्चोक, तेह्रथुम, धनकुटा, नवलपरासी, धादिङ, नुवाकोट, गोरखा र ओखलढुंगाले समृद्धिको खुड्किलो उक्लेर नयाँ उचाइ हासिल गरेका छन्।
यस्तै नेपालका ७५ जिल्लामध्ये गरिबीको दर सबैभन्दा बढी बाजुरामा (६४ प्रतिशत) र सबैभन्दा न्यून कास्कीमा (चार प्रतिशत) रहेको छ। गरिबीको विषमता र गरिबीको गहनता पनि सबैभन्दा बढी बाजुरामा क्रमश: १९.९ प्रतिशत र ८.२ प्रतिशत छ भने सबैभन्दा कम कास्कीमा क्रमश: ०.८ प्रतिशत र ०.३ प्रतिशत छ। गरिबीको विषमता भन्नाले गरिबबीचको खाडल हो भने गरिबीको गहनता भन्नाले गरिबीको रेखादेखि तल्लो स्तरसम्मको गरिबी हो।
नेपालका ५८ वटा नगरपालिकामध्ये बर्दियाको गुलरिया नगरपालिका (४९.६ प्रतिशत) मा गरिबीको दर सबैभन्दा बढी र पोखरा उपमहानगरपालिका (१.३ प्रतिशत) मा सबै भन्दा कम रहेको छ।
केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभागले गरिबीसम्बन्धी सूचक को हिसाब गर्दा प्रतिव्यक्ति वार्षिक १९ हजार दुई सय ६१ रु पैयाँंभन्दा कमलाई गरिबीको रेखा मानेको छ। यसअनुसार दैनिक ५३ रु पैयाँंभन्दा कम आम्दानी हुने व्यक्ति गरिबीको रेखामुनि पर्छ।
लघुक्षेत्र गरिबी अनुमान प्रतिवेदनका अनुसार बाजुराका साथै कालीकोट (५८ प्रतिशत), बझाङ (५७ प्रतिशत), हुम्ला (५६ प्रतिशत), दार्चुला (५३ प्रतिशत) प्राप्त गरी तल्लो स्तरमा पुगेका छन्। तर, कास्की (चार प्रतिशत), इलाम (७.३ प्रतिशत), ललितपुर (७.६ प्रतिशत), काठमाडौं (७.६ प्रतिशत) र चितवन (८.९ प्रतिशत) जिल्लामा भने कुल जनसंख्याको १० प्रतिशतभन्दा कममात्र मानिस गरिबीको रेखामुनि रहेका छन्। क्षेत्रीका अनुसार दैनिक ५३ रुपैयाँले व्यक्ति बाँच्नमात्र पुग्छ।
प्रतिवेदन भन्छ- तराईमा सबैभन्दा गरिब जिल्ला सप्तरी हो। सप्तरीका बासिन्दामध्ये ४० प्रतिशत गरिबीको रेखामुनि छन्। सप्तरी जिल्ला पूर्वाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्रको पनि सबैभन्दा बढी गरिबी दर भएको जिल्लामा पर्छ।
नेपाल जीवनस्तर सर्वेक्षण २०६६/६७ अनुसार गरिबीको दर राष्ट्रिय औषत २५.२ प्रतिशतभन्दा बढी दर भएका जिल्लाको संख्या हाल ४२ छ।
यस्तै १० वर्षअघिको लघुक्षेत्र अनुमानको भन्दा पछि १० वर्षमा जम्मा ५६ जिल्लामा गरिबीको दर घटेको छ भने बाँकी १९ जिल्लामा भने यो दर झन् बढेको छ।
गरिबीको दर सबैभन्दा बढी पाँचथर जिल्लामा पहिलेको ५२.५ प्रतिशतबाट ४१.१ प्रतिशत विन्दुले घटेर ११.४ प्रतिशतमा झरेको छ। त्यसपछि रोल्पामा गरिबीको यो दर ५९ प्रतिशतबाट ३३ प्रतिशतले घटेर २६ प्रतिशतमात्रै भएको छ। इलाम जिल्लाको गरिबीको दरमा ३२ प्रतिशतले कमी आएको छ।
गोरखाको ल्हो र सामागाउँ गाविसमा गरिबीको दर सबैभन्दा उच्च छ भने काठमाडौंको इचंगुनारायण गाविसमा सबैभन्दा कम छ। केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभाग घरपरिवार सर्वेक्षण शाखाका निर्देशक डिल्लीराज जोशीले गरिबी न्यूनीकरणका कार्यक्रमलाई भौगोलिक रूपमा लक्षित गर्न गरिबीको लघुक्षेत्र अनुमानले सहयोग गर्ने बताए।
सरकारको नीतिहीनताको सिकार
कुनै नगरपालिकामा गरिबीको दर पहिलेभन्दा बढेको छ भने कतै घटेको छ। गरिबीको विषमता र गहनतामा पनि पहिलेको तुलनामा घटबढ भएको छ। अघिल्लो अनुमानको आधारमा उच्च समृद्धिस्तरमा परेका १९ नगरपालिकामध्ये अहिले भद्रपुर, काठमाडौं, ललितपुर, भक्त पुर, कीर्तिपुर, मध्यपुर ठिमी, रत्ननगर, सिद्धार्थनगर र नेपालगन्ज गरी नौवटा नगरपालिका सो मूहबाट तल झरेका छन्।
तीमध्ये आठवटा मध्यम स्तरमा झरे भने भक्तपुर निम्नस्तरको समूहमा परेको छ। यी नगरपालिकाले आफ्नो साविकको स्थान कायम राख्न सकेनन् र त्यहाँ पहिलेभन्दा गरिबीको दर झन् उच्च भएको छ। सो समूहमा पहिले मध्यम वा निम्न समृद्धिस्तरमा रहेका खाँदबारी, इटहरी, भीमेश्वर, धुलिखेल, पनौती, विदुर, गोरखा, व्यास र वालिङ नगरपालिकाले समृद्धिको खुडकिलो उक्लेर नयाँ उचाइ हासिल गरेका छन्।
यसरी अहिले पनि कास्की जिल्लाका दुईवटै नगरपालिका पहिलेझैं समृद्धिस्तरको सर्वोच्च पाँचभित्रै अडिग रहेका छन् भने काभ्रे जिल्लाका तीनवटै नगरपालिकाले उच्च समृद्धिस्तर हासिल गर्न सफल भएका छन्।
प्रतिवेदनअनुसार काठमाडौं उपत्यकाका पाँचवटै नगरपालिकाको समृद्धिस्तर पहिलेको तुलनामा खस्किएको छ।
त्यस्तै गरिबीको विषमता र गहनतासमेत वृद्धि भएका नगरपालिकामा भक्तपुर, अमरगढी, काठमाडौं, कीर्तिपुर, दिपायल, ललितपुर, मध्यपुर ठिमी, कपिलवस्तु र गुलरिया हुन्।
यसरी ४६ नगरपालिकाको गरिबीको दर राष्ट्रिय गरिबी दर (२५ प्रतिशत) भन्दा कम भए पनि ३५ वटा नगरपालिकामा पहिलेभन्दा गरिबीको रेखामुनि रहेका मानिसको संख्या थपिएको छ। हाल नेपालको सहरी क्षेत्रमा मात्रै पाँच लाख ७५ हजारभन्दा बढी गरिब बसोवास गर्छन्। पहिले २०६३ को लघुक्षेत्र अनुमानअनुसार ५८ नगरपालिकाभित्र करिब चार लाख मात्र गरिब थिए।
अहिलेका कुल सहरी गरिबमध्ये करिब एकचौथाइ काठमाडौं उपत्यकाका पाँचवटा नगरभित्रै बसेका छन्। बर्सेनि उपत्यकाको सहरी क्षेत्रमा १४ हजारभन्दा बढी गरिब थपिएका छन्। काठमाडौं महानगरका साथै विराटनगर, ललितपुर र वीरगन्ज उपमहानगरभित्र बस्ने गरिबको संख्या दुई लाखको हाराहारीमा छ।
यस लघुक्षेत्र अनुमानको आधारमा नेपालमा गरिबीको रेखामुनि रहेका मानिसको संख्या निकाल्ने हो भने जिल्लागत गरिबी दरको आधारमा ६१ लाख ४८ हजार, इलाकागत गरिबी दरको आधारमा ६१ लाख ५९ हजार र लक्षित क्षेत्रगत गरिबी दरको आधारमा नेपालमा गरिबीको रेखामुनि रहेका मानिसको संख्या ६१ लाख ६० हजार रहेको देखिन्छ।