Impact On The Livelihood Of Rural Farmers Due To The Adoption Of Modern Agricultural Tools And Technology In Nepal

Nepal mainly relies on agriculture for their livelihood, where 1/3 of the country’s GDP is generated from agriculture. Although agriculture is a major source of income for most Nepalese people, it is still lagging behind modern tools and technology. It is due to various reasons, such as high initial investment, poor knowledge, lack of awareness, small land holdings, subsistence farming, and ignorance of the government on the agriculture sector. One of the major reasons for low productivity is small and fragmented land holdings which cause obstacles and challenges to employing large machinery and modern technology as it is not desirable to fully exploit the resources, rather it will increase the cost of production. Employment of mechanization is mainly found in terai areas that are near the market and also found in the rural area that has connectivity to the roads. Mechanization helps to exploit the resources, land, labor, time, and energy resulting in increased agricultural production, productivity, profitability, and living standard of the farmers. Modern agriculture tools and technology include new varieties, irrigation pumps, drones, precision agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, Internet of Things (IoT), machinery (tractor), Animal-drawn implements (moldboard plow, disc harrow, disc plow), etc. The Extension system plays a crucial role in the adoption of modern agricultural tools and technology. It also acknowledges and aware the local people about the existence and use of various tools and technology and provides the training and skills to employ these tools at the local level. The government of Nepal also facilitates different projects and programs related to skill development and training toward the modernization of the agricultural system such as the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Program (PMAMP). The adoption of modern tools and technology enhances the productivity and living standards of rural farmers in several ways. It helps to maximize the efficiency of resource use, minimize waste and environmental effects, analyze the amount of nutrients in the soil, estimate crop water requirements, etc. Farmers are now able to monitor and identify their needs and problems themselves, optimize balanced doses of fertilization, track crop health and pest infestation, etc thus improving crop quality.