Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: A new book titled Planning for Agriculture Development by veteran horticulturist Shiv Bahadur Nepali Pradhan (90) has been published.
According to Pradhan, the book aims to revive discussion around family farming at a time when its core values are increasingly being overlooked.
“Family farming refers to an agricultural system in which family members themselves primarily provide labor and manage the farm,” Pradhan said. “Although we have long celebrated the Year of Family Farming, I felt it would be useful to present this study in book form at a time when its core principles have been forgotten.”
He said the inspiration for the book came after the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization declared 2014 the “International Year of Family Farming” with the goal of placing family farming at the center of national policies and addressing the challenges faced by small farmers.
Motivated by that initiative, Pradhan turned into a book a study he had conducted in 1981 while studying at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
The study, titled Intensification of Agricultural Production in Hill Areas: A Household System Approach, examines the challenges faced by small farmers in Nepal’s hill regions and explores ways to improve the living standards of a typical rural household consisting of two adults and two or three children.
“The definition of family farming introduced by the United Nations in 2014 and the ‘household system’ I envisioned in 1981 are essentially the same,” Pradhan said. “The book shows that even with limited resources, the subsistence economy of hill regions can be improved through the maximum use of local resources.”
The book highlights measures to increase agricultural productivity, including improved irrigation systems, better terrace management, the use of improved seeds, compost manure and advanced livestock farming practices.
It also stresses that access to drinking water and the practice of keeping livestock in sheds can reduce household labor burdens and improve productivity. In addition, the book argues that non-agricultural employment opportunities can provide supplementary income for rural families.
Pradhan has previously published the autobiography Krishima Mero Bato (My Journey in Agriculture) and another work titled Nepal Conscious Social Order, which discusses Nepal’s development challenges and possible solutions.
His memoir, 5:25, reflecting on memories with his wife, Gauri Rani Pradhan, has also been published.
