Nepal Smallholder Irrigation Market Initiative (Nepal-SIMI) Phased Out

The Smallholder Irrigation Market Initiative (Nepal SIMI) funded by USAID and jointly implemented by Winrock International (WI), International Development Enterprises (IDE), Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED), Support for Poor Producers of Nepal (SAPPROS- Nepal) and Agricultural Enterprises Center (AEC) phased out in September 30, 2009. The project was initiated in 2003. The project mobilized 3,643 farmers groups covering 74,342 HHs in 23 districts. The overall goal of the project was to contribute to reducing poverty of small holders by promoting micro irrigation technology, adopting high value agriculture especially offseason vegetable production and establishing value chains of the marketable products.

It adopted an integrated social mobilization and value chain approach. Social mobilization helped to orient, educate and prepare the farmer communities to accept SIMI interventions. And, value chain approach helped to include the private sector in value chain development in order to sustain the efforts through establishment and strengthening of service providers at local level. In this context, the project focused on the development of service providers like local mason, nursery growers, leader farmers, agro vets, output traders, collection centers etc. Smallholders need efficient marketing services to reach their product to the market in a collective manner. To materialize this strategy, SIMI focused on developing collection centers facilitated by Marketing and Planning committees. A total of 90 collection centers was established and strengthened by facilitating 94 marketing and planning committees (PMCs). Out of the 94 marketing and planning committees, 22 are registered as cooperatives which will serve as local institutions promoting the endeavors.

SIMI worked in close coordination with Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) to build synergy and sustainability of the interventions. To build a critical mass to carry on the approach, 471 senior personnel from the government were trained on Value Chain Approach, 89 JT/JTAs on micro irrigation technology promotion and 179 government staff on improved technology and social mobilization.

The project generated an incremental income of more than $180 per household per year by basically adopting offseason vegetable production enterprises supported by 74,342 units of micro irrigation technologies. These technologies comprised of treadle pumps, drip irrigation systems, sprinklers, and electric and diesel pumps. The project also created sufficient number of jobs as service providers in value chain. SIMI had demonstrated that large number of small farmers can be benefitted even without providing any subsidy, provided the farmers have access to affordable and efficient technology supported by variety of services at the village level.