Indigenous crops disappearing in Sudurpaschim Province

Amargadhi: Crops like buckwheat, finger millet, corn and kaguno are on the verge of disappearance in the hilly districts in Sudurpaschim Province with the new generation increasingly turning away from agriculture.

In whatever areas agriculture has been done, hybrid seeds of other crops have taken over, thus pushing the indigenous crops to a disappearance, said Directorate of the Sudurpaschim Agriculture Development, Dipayal, Doti.

These crops have been widely grown in Dadeldhura, Baitadi, Darchula, Bajhang, Doti, Achham and Bajura districts. The new generations are highly unaware of the health benefits of the local crops. As a result, they are less attracted to them, said historian Bhojraj Bhattarai.

Just a decade ago, over 75 per cent of farmers in hilly districts in the province had grown indigenous crops. However, now the figure has reduced to only 10 per cent, said a farmer Padam Bohara.

Most farmers in the Baitadi district have switched to grow foreign crops, thus putting the local crops at risk of disappearance, said the agriculture knowledge centre office in Baitadi. The district is best known for producing buckwheat and finger millets.

As a result, it is difficult to find even seeds of the crops, said Indira Tamrakar, a farmer of Amargadhi Municipality-7.
These crops are healthier than other crops, said health workers. Health-conscious people of urban areas, in particular, have been lately attracted to these nutritious crops.

Chief of the health section Ganesh Bista has stressed the need for promoting the production of these indigenous crops.