unavailability of quality seed with desired c]uantities has been a major constrain_ts for the hill farm{!rs
.. · . of Nepal since many years. Realizing this; Agricultural Research Station (ARS) •. Dailelch·initiated a
· community based seed production program at . two Village Development Com.'!"ittees (VDCs) of
.. D.ailekh district in 2000 summer. The program was fourJd quite successful and liked by. the farmer:~.
As a result, ten more · VDCs (sites) were added in 2001. pistrict Agriculture Development Office
(DAPO) ~as t(llso involved in selecting · the seed production pockets. Impr~d ·maize ·variety.
Manakamana-1 was used for (his purpose. Seed producers' groups were formed in. each site with th~ .
objective of maintaining isolation and easy disposal of produced seeds of different parts of the .
· district. A total of 27 and 104 farmers were involved consisting two and twelve groups in ·2000 and ·
2001, respectively. Approximately 2 hectares of land was under se(Jd production in et(lch site. Seed
and chemical fertiliz.er.s were provided to the groups of Bindhyabasini and Kalbhairab VDCS as free
while ten groups ·received only seeds. Training and other technical support was provi4ed to all "the
groups. Apou( 3 and '29."48 tons of maize seeds were produced under ihis program in 2000 ant! 2001, ·
. respectively. An interaction was held with the farmers on strengthening the program in future and
sustainability as well. It has been ·realized that community based seed prqductiorJ is only the best
option: for supplying and promoting the i;nproved seeds for the hill distriqts where input delivery
. system is not well developed.

unavailability of quality seed with desired c]uantities has been a major constrain_ts for the hill farm{!rs
.. · . of Nepal since many years. Realizing this; Agricultural Research Station (ARS) •. Dailelch·initiated a
· community based seed production program at . two Village Development Com.'!"ittees (VDCs) of
.. D.ailekh district in 2000 summer. The program was fourJd quite successful and liked by. the farmer:~.
As a result, ten more · VDCs (sites) were added in 2001. pistrict Agriculture Development Office
(DAPO) ~as t(llso involved in selecting · the seed production pockets. Impr~d ·maize ·variety.
Manakamana-1 was used for (his purpose. Seed producers' groups were formed in. each site with th~ .
objective of maintaining isolation and easy disposal of produced seeds of different parts of the .
· district. A total of 27 and 104 farmers were involved consisting two and twelve groups in ·2000 and ·
2001, respectively. Approximately 2 hectares of land was under se(Jd production in et(lch site. Seed
and chemical fertiliz.er.s were provided to the groups of Bindhyabasini and Kalbhairab VDCS as free
while ten groups ·received only seeds. Training and other technical support was provi4ed to all "the
groups. Apou( 3 and '29."48 tons of maize seeds were produced under ihis program in 2000 ant! 2001, ·
. respectively. An interaction was held with the farmers on strengthening the program in future and
sustainability as well. It has been ·realized that community based seed prqductiorJ is only the best
option: for supplying and promoting the i;nproved seeds for the hill distriqts where input delivery
. system is not well developed.