KATHMANDU, DEC 25 -
Nepal added nearly half a million new farming households in a span of 10 years disproving an apparent decline in the popularity of agriculture as an occupation, according to National Agriculture Census 2011-12 released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Tuesday.
The census recorded the number of people, literacy rates and sex ratio, farm land, irrigation, land holdings and number and type of workers in the agriculture sector. The study shows that there are 3.831 million farming household in the country. The total farm workforce saw the addition of 467,000 new members within a decade. The farm sector employs 20.55 million people out of the national population of 26.49 million.
The census is carried out every 10 years. It was conducted in two phases through a sample survey of 125,000 households in 5,200 village development committees.
“The census shows that agricultural land has been decreasing
but the number of land holdings has been increasing, indicating that land fragmentation is taking place at a faster rate,” said Suman Raj Aryal, deputy director general of the CBS.
The country contains 2.525 million hectares of agricultural land while the total number of land holders stands at 3.831 million. The average size of the holding decreased from 1.13 hectares in 1981-82 to 0.80 hectare in 2001-02 and decreased further to 0.68 hectare in 2011-12. The country’s farm land shrank by 129,000 hectares to 2.525 million hectares in 10 years, according to the census.
The CBS said that irrigation coverage had reached 53.14 percent of the total land holdings. Rivers, lakes and ponds account for 48 percent of the irrigation system, tube wells and boring 30 percent and dams and reservoirs 16 percent with mixed and other sources accounting for the rest.
The census shows that the country has 22.135 million heads of cattle, including 10.99 million goats and 3.17 million buffaloes. The number of goats, pigs and sheep increased by 59 percent, 30 percent and 29 percent respectively. However, the number of buffaloes slipped by 9 percent over 10-year period. Meanwhile, the number of chicken jumped 49 percent to 26.26 million.
The participation of the female number to head the household jumped 19 percent in 2011-12 from 8.1 percent in the last census. Around 60 percent farm households have reported that their annual production was not sufficient to meet the annual food consumption.
FARM MECHANISATION
Nepal’s agriculture has made a slight progress in terms of being mechanised. The census shows that 22.04 percent farm households used tractor and 20.96 percent reported using thresher in their farms. The Agricultural Census (2001-02) showed that under the farm mechanisation, the proportion of holdings using tractors and threshers was less than 10 percent of the total holdings. Around 14.30 percent holders reported using pumping set/motor. However, power tillers have not been popular among farmers as only 1.97 percent holders reported using it in their farming operations. The last census showed there were less than 1 per cent of the holdings using power tillers. Still 28.01 percent of holders are using the most basic farm technology—the iron plow. The iron plow users were 26.1 percent of farm households in the last census.
AGRO LOAN
The proportion of holdings availing agricultural credit to finance their farming operation has been dismal, according to the census. Only 21.8 percent of households were availed of agriculture loans in 2011-12. In 1991-92, about 23 percent of the holdings were availed of agricultural loans whereas in 2001-02, 24 percent were availed of such loans.
The latest census shows that farmers are relatively dependent on borrowings from relatives as 37 percent holders borrow from their relatives. Around 17 percent of holders borrow loans from cooperatives, 14 percent from women’s group, 13 percent from Agriculture Development Bank, 10 percent from farmer’s group and 9 percent from financial institutions.
Around 19 percent farm household were reported lending credit for livestock and poultry, 9.99 percent for agriculture inputs and 6.99 percent for irrigation purpose.
The census recorded the number of people, literacy rates and sex ratio, farm land, irrigation, land holdings and number and type of workers in the agriculture sector. The study shows that there are 3.831 million farming household in the country. The total farm workforce saw the addition of 467,000 new members within a decade. The farm sector employs 20.55 million people out of the national population of 26.49 million.
The census is carried out every 10 years. It was conducted in two phases through a sample survey of 125,000 households in 5,200 village development committees.
“The census shows that agricultural land has been decreasing
but the number of land holdings has been increasing, indicating that land fragmentation is taking place at a faster rate,” said Suman Raj Aryal, deputy director general of the CBS.
The country contains 2.525 million hectares of agricultural land while the total number of land holders stands at 3.831 million. The average size of the holding decreased from 1.13 hectares in 1981-82 to 0.80 hectare in 2001-02 and decreased further to 0.68 hectare in 2011-12. The country’s farm land shrank by 129,000 hectares to 2.525 million hectares in 10 years, according to the census.
The CBS said that irrigation coverage had reached 53.14 percent of the total land holdings. Rivers, lakes and ponds account for 48 percent of the irrigation system, tube wells and boring 30 percent and dams and reservoirs 16 percent with mixed and other sources accounting for the rest.
The census shows that the country has 22.135 million heads of cattle, including 10.99 million goats and 3.17 million buffaloes. The number of goats, pigs and sheep increased by 59 percent, 30 percent and 29 percent respectively. However, the number of buffaloes slipped by 9 percent over 10-year period. Meanwhile, the number of chicken jumped 49 percent to 26.26 million.
The participation of the female number to head the household jumped 19 percent in 2011-12 from 8.1 percent in the last census. Around 60 percent farm households have reported that their annual production was not sufficient to meet the annual food consumption.
FARM MECHANISATION
Nepal’s agriculture has made a slight progress in terms of being mechanised. The census shows that 22.04 percent farm households used tractor and 20.96 percent reported using thresher in their farms. The Agricultural Census (2001-02) showed that under the farm mechanisation, the proportion of holdings using tractors and threshers was less than 10 percent of the total holdings. Around 14.30 percent holders reported using pumping set/motor. However, power tillers have not been popular among farmers as only 1.97 percent holders reported using it in their farming operations. The last census showed there were less than 1 per cent of the holdings using power tillers. Still 28.01 percent of holders are using the most basic farm technology—the iron plow. The iron plow users were 26.1 percent of farm households in the last census.
AGRO LOAN
The proportion of holdings availing agricultural credit to finance their farming operation has been dismal, according to the census. Only 21.8 percent of households were availed of agriculture loans in 2011-12. In 1991-92, about 23 percent of the holdings were availed of agricultural loans whereas in 2001-02, 24 percent were availed of such loans.
The latest census shows that farmers are relatively dependent on borrowings from relatives as 37 percent holders borrow from their relatives. Around 17 percent of holders borrow loans from cooperatives, 14 percent from women’s group, 13 percent from Agriculture Development Bank, 10 percent from farmer’s group and 9 percent from financial institutions.
Around 19 percent farm household were reported lending credit for livestock and poultry, 9.99 percent for agriculture inputs and 6.99 percent for irrigation purpose.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
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