Development Orthodoxy in the Himalayas: A Case of Persistent Policy Failure in Agriculture

In an era of globalization and environmental uncertainty, improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers has become a high priority in agricultural development agenda of policy makers. Yet, conventional processes of implementing development cooperation to assist and aid smallholder farmers has had mixed results over the decades and its efficacy is still in question. The fact that development practitioners and academics alike are vexed by the question of how development interventions, especially driven from 'western' worldview has continually failed to deliver its promise of eradicating hunger and access to food has led critics to raise concern that development cooperation has not only failed to reach the most in need, it has frequently been the cause of poverty and marginalization. While it is not the intention of this talk to engage in this complex debate at length, rather, with focus on Nepal, I will shed light on the multiple realities of development. To illustrate, I will talk about the practices of development by High Mountain Agribusiness and Livelihood (HIMALI) project and Nepali NGO - Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Research and Development. Funded by Asian Development Bank, and implemented by the government of Nepal, the thrust of HIMALI project is the formation of commercially viable agribusinesses in the mountain region of Nepal. Known for its pioneering work on participatory technology development, through its partner organization, LI-BIRD works on a broad range of issues related to food security, biodiversity, and sustainable development. Featuring Netra Chhetri, Associate Professor, School of Geographic Sciences, CSPO.