Gopal Prasad Shrestha1 *, Giridhari Subedi2 , Surya Prasad Baral3 and Padma Nath Atreya4
1 Kathmandu Metropolitan City-32, Koteshwor, Jadibuti
2 National Potato Research Program Khumaltar, Lalitpur
3 National Centre for Potato, Vegetables and Spice Crop Development, Kirtipur, Kathmandu
4 Temperate Horticulture Development Centre, Marpha, Mustang
*Corresponding authors' email: gopalpdshrestha@gmail.com
Abstract
Horticultural Resource Centre has key role in inputs supply, technology generation and verification, demonstration and providing technical services to the growers of horticultural crops. As a result of government developmental activities since 1970 A.D. there were 45 Horticulture Resource Centers including horticulture research units and program which is now limited to 40 in number. Their importance and contribution in the past have been well recognized in the command areas of the farms. When the concept of 1:1 ratio of budget and revenue for performance based evaluation began, some farms were kept under low profile and were either privatized or handed over to other organizations. Double Track Management System was also introduced for income generation. After few years of operation, all the privatized farms were returned to the government and double track system was discontinued without formal evaluation of the modality of the operation. Some resource centers have also experienced the encroachment of the landholdings by the security forces of the government. In the present federal government system, the linkage with the parental institution and organized system of extension services has been disrupted, thus their role and importance has been more realized for the sustainable development of horticulture sector of the country. Collaboration and coordination with other public and private organization, efficient utilization of the resources, cutting down nonproductive expenses, eliminating program without significant outputs and avoidance of duplication of fund flow should be taken due consideration for the sustainable development of resource center itself and horticultural sector as a whole.
Keywords: Resource center, privatization, double track system, encroachment