Thakur Prasad Pradhan1
Khalil Miyan2
Abstract
The CDP (Crop Diversification Project) is being implemented in twelve selected districts of MWDR and FWDR, with the loan assistance of ADB. The project covers an implementation period from 16 July 2001 to 31 Dec 2004. The sectoral goal of the project is reduction in rural poverty through increased cash income for farm households. The immediate objectives are promotion of production and marketing of agricultural crops with a particular focus on secondary crops of commercial importance. The project activities have been grouped under four components: provision for extension services of farmers
groups; promotion of private extension services; promotion of client-oriented research; and project management support. In order to enhance the effectiveness and socio-economic impacts of project implementation, the project design has encompassed innovative approaches, such as social mobilization Support to DADOs agricultural extension programs: promotion of PSPs for social mobilization and agricultural extension services: client-oriented research through grant assisted NARDF: and cost recovery for use of laboratory facilities. Besides, the project envisages promoting PPAs as focal point for promotional activities, and farmers groups as the grass root level institutions. Promotion of production and marketing, in parallel, has been essential feature of the project design. There has been some delay in implementation of some activities, mainly due to procedural matters, innovative approaches and the volatile security situation.
The lesson learnt in adoption of new approaches is expected to provide valuable guidelines for design and implementation of similar projects in future. However, as most of the new approaches are in initial stage of implementation, it is too early to draw any final conclusion on the effectiveness of these approaches, and examining the possibilities of further replication of the approaches, on the basis of experiences of CDP. Nevertheless, there are some indications of positive impacts of the social mobilization and PSPs activities.