The Politics of Poverty Alleviation in Nepal : Structural Analysis of Socioeconomic Development from the Past Five Decades

As Nepal opened her door for international communities, it emerged from a barter system to global economy. During the last five decades (1950/51 - 2000/01) the country has witnessed different motley politico-economic decision making systems. The initial years in 1950s after emancipation from a very autocratic regime of more than 100 years were a political mess. The second half of 1950s was in the process streamlining, but another unfortunate political incident of 1960 pushed the country in different direction. The socioeconomic development of 1961 to 1990 was very sluggish, regionally biased, and unproductive, which forced the increment of mass poverty level in Nepal. The socioeconomic progress after 1990 seems encouraging but the real achievements have been shadowed by the weakness of politico-economical characters of ruling leaders. In last 50 years, Nepal followed the modernization path and experienced lots of developmental patch-ups, which did not sustain and enhance the productivity at the local level. Rather, the country witnessed a persistent poverty in spite of huge national and international expenses. In order to break the spurring poverty level the village economy needs to be enhanced with equal emphasis on human or social and ecological capitals enrichment activities

The Impact of Foreign Remittances on Poverty in Nepal: A Panel Study of Household Survey Data, 1996-2011

Using data from the longitudinal panel surveys of 1996, 2004, and 2011, this paper examines the dynamics of foreign remittances and their impact on poverty in Nepal. The intent is to explore how foreign remittances have evolved and impacted poverty and economic well-being of households. Focusing on a consistent set of households across the three survey rounds in a balanced panel format helps examine the effect of foreign remittances with appropriate controls. Results from methodologically consistent, random-effects regressions that correct for potential attrition and heterogeneity bias support significant poverty-reducing and, more accurately, economic well-being-enhancing effects of foreign remittances especially when originating in countries other than India. This and other findings are valuable to the assessment of policies on utilizing foreign labor migration and remittances as a vehicle to reduce poverty in Nepal

Selective Breeding to Improve Productive and Reproductive Performances and Survivability of Indigenous Sakini Chicken

Indigenous chickens are quite popular in Family Poultry Production System (FPPS) in Nepal, but are constrained with their low productive performance. The present study evaluated the productive and reproductive performance of Sakini chicken in different filial generations and sexes. In addition, research also aimed at understanding the effect of generations on above performances. Initially, base populations (G-0) of Sakini were maintained by collecting eight weeks old birds from different agro-ecologial zones of Nepal. Performance of the birds of G-0 was evaluated based on weekly body weight (12-24 weeks), laying performance, fertility, hatchability, hatch weight and survivability. Selected birds of base population (G-0) were used to produce first (G-1), second (G-2) and third (G-3) generations through selective breeding in each generation. Similarly, body weights at hatching, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20 week and 24 weeks were significantly (p<0.001) improved from G0 to G3 and were also significantly (p<0.001) differ for sex (males were always heavier than females). Likewise, there was significant (p<0.05) improvement in egg production (per hen per year), age at first lay (days), body weight at sexual maturity, egg number and egg weight at 90 days of laying in progressive generations. Fertility, hatchability and survivability significantly (p<0.05) improved in selected generations in comparison to base population, whereas, no significant difference was obtained within the different selected population. Thus, indigenous Sakini chicken under this experiment performed better with respect to survivability, fertility and hatchability in later generations that provides ample scope of advancing selective breeding activities within the indigenous population in order to bring significant improvement in the overall productive performance of Sakini chicken in Nepal

Activity, Physiology and Milk Production of Yaks and Two Different Yak Crossbreds Grazing Himalayan Pasture Sites at 4700 m and 3000 m

Yaks (Bos grunniens) and crossbreds of yaks with different local cattle breeds are important for the livelihood of local herders in the Himalayas. They are often kept in a system of transhumance comprising the use of different pasture sites for grazing along an altitudinal gradient throughout the year. The animals are moved upwards to the high altitude pastures in spring/early summer and gradually moved downwards in late summer/autumn. Yaks are suitable for very high altitudes as they are especially adapted to low oxygen partial pressure, forage scarcity and cold and harsh environment (Wiener et al. 2003). However, yak-cattle crossbreds have an advantage in terms of milk yield due to heterosis and can utilize the lower winter pasture sites better than yaks. In the Taplejung District of Nepal, in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA), two different yak crossbreds are most common. In the lower mountains of KCA, Nepalese common hill cattle (a Bos indicus genotype) are available and are crossed with yak bulls. In the higher mountain regions, closer to the Tibetan border, crosses of female yaks (called naks) with so-called Bhelang bulls of B. taurus genotype are produced. The aim of the study was to compare these crossbreds of yaks and cattle and relate them to yaks in terms of locomotive activity pattern, physiological responses and performance when grazing at two different altitudes along a transhumant route in the Himalayan Mountains

Study on Re-Growth and Nutritional Potentials of \u3cem\u3eEleusine indica L\u3c/em\u3e in Chitwan, Nepal

The efforts to use exotic fodder species to solve the problem of green roughage scarcity in Nepal, have had only limited success because the species are not persistent. Use of local forage species, such as Eleusine indica, which is widely adapted and tolerant of repeated cutting (Lowry et al., 1992), could be possible solution to the problem. The objective of this study was to understand the re-growth potential of E. indica with respect to nitrogen fertiliser application and cutting management and to determine its feeding value in the dry season

Relationship between Canopy Closure and Pasture Production in Deciduous Tree Based Temperate Silvopastoral Systems

Experiments were carried out in New Zealand with 11 year-old alder (Alnus chordata) on lowland pasture, and with 30+ year-old poplar (Populus spp) on hill pasture. Alder tree shade decreased (P\u3c 0.001) tiller density and total herbage harvested, with the highest tiller density at the lowest shade level of 41% canopy closure (DifN 0.59). Net herbage accumulation (NHA) directly under a poplar canopy was 35% of the NHA of open pasture, but NHA in canopy gaps increased with gap size. These results suggested that keeping canopy closure percentage in the 40-50% range for a deciduous tree silvopastoral system, would maintain pasture production and tiller density at approximately two-thirds of that of unshaded pasture