In the remote Karnali region of Nepal, recent developments in road connectivity have offered a glimmer of hope to the local population, particularly apple farmers, enabling them to access markets and obtain reasonable prices for their produce. However, the substandard construction of these road networks has posed significant challenges. The roads, crucial for the transportation of goods, often become impassable due to disasters, a situation exacerbated by climate change, leading to frequent closures.
As a result, some apple growers are considering exporting their harvests to nearby Tibetan cities, especially given the roads' susceptibility to damage during the monsoon season, which coincides with peak harvest times. Namgyal Tamang, former president of Humla Chambers of Commerce and Industry, expressed, "It would be a great relief for apple growers in Humla if they could export apples to the Chinese cities."
In Dolpa, a district with an extensive apple farming area, the challenge of transporting apples to markets has been daunting, with a significant portion of the harvest going to waste. Ganesh Adhikari, chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Dolpa, reported a stark contrast between production and market supply figures, highlighting the dire transportation issues during the harvest season. Similarly, in Simkot, Humla, despite the introduction of a road network, transportation hurdles have left farmers with no choice but to resort to traditional storage methods or expensive air shipments, neither of which offer a sustainable solution.
The situation is mirrored in Kalikot, where despite a bumper production, the absence of road access and high transportation costs have left farmers with limited options. The issue of road accessibility is a common theme across the Karnali region, affecting not just the transportation of apples but also impacting the prices farmers receive for their produce. The lack of infrastructure, such as cold storage, packaging, and grading facilities, further compounds these challenges, forcing farmers to harvest apples prematurely and sell them at prices that do not reflect their true market value.
Despite these challenges, there is a silver lining as trucks carrying food and construction materials from Surkhet and Nepalgunj are now returning with apples from Jumla, Mugu, and Kalikot, indicating a potential shift towards more sustainable agricultural practices. The initiative has sparked a trend of commercial farming in Jumla, encouraging significant investment in apple cultivation and opening up new avenues for farmers to market their produce.
In conclusion, while road connectivity has brought new opportunities to the Karnali region, the existing infrastructure's limitations highlight the need for comprehensive solutions to ensure that the agricultural sector can thrive and that farmers can receive fair compensation for their efforts.
Source: The Kathmandu Post