Prahlad K. Thapa1
Abstract
Agriculture development in Nepal has passed through various models of development. In each model, horticulture and livestock sectors have got the priority. With a view to put agriculture into a high growth path, Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) was implemented. However, it failed to relate the development activities with the institutions responsible to implement them. Though considered as a priority sector, government did not recognized horticulture at equal footing with livestock sector in terms of institutional development.
Horticulture development in Nepal has taken place as certain events rather than a regular process of development. It implies that such events must take place on regular basis if horticulture has to develop. In the detail analysis, it is also observed that such development event has occurred at such times when horticultural developments have been supported by proper institutions. Hence, the potentiality of horticulture to support accelerating agricultural growth can be realized only if proper horticultural development institution also supports horticulture development. This may be possible if its own commodity development department leads horticulture development. The department must be complete in itself to carry out all horticulture development related activities and must be free from the problems of faculty-biased attitudes of the experts.