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Responsible Agricultural Mechanization Innovation for the Sustainable Development of Nepal’s Hillside Farming System

Author

Listed:
  • Rachana Devkota

    (School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD), Pokhara P.O. Box 324, Nepal)

  • Laxmi Prasad Pant

    (School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent ME4 4TB, UK)

  • Hom Nath Gartaula

    (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), New Delhi 110012, India)

  • Kirit Patel

    (International Development Studies, Menno Simons College, Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, MB R3C OG2, Canada)

  • Devendra Gauchan

    (Bioversity International, C/O National Agricultural Genetic Resource Centre (Genebank), Khumaltar, Kathmandu P.O. Box 3055, Nepal)

  • Helen Hambly-Odame

    (School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Balaram Thapa

    (Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD), Pokhara P.O. Box 324, Nepal)

  • Manish N. Raizada

    (Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract
Agricultural mechanization in developing countries has taken at least two contested innovation pathways—the “incumbent trajectory” that promotes industrial agriculture, and an “alternative pathway” that supports small-scale mechanization for sustainable development of hillside farming systems. Although both pathways can potentially reduce human and animal drudgery, the body of literature that assesses the sustainability impacts of these mechanization pathways in the local ecological, socio-economic, cultural, and historical contexts of hillside farms is either nonexistent or under-theorized. This paper addresses this missing literature by examining the case of Nepal’s first Agricultural Mechanization Promotion Policy 2014 (AMPP) using a conceptual framework of what will be defined as “responsible innovation”. The historical context of this assessment involves the incumbent trajectory of mechanization in the country since the late 1960s that neglected smallholder farms located in the hills and mountains and biased mechanization policy for flat areas only. Findings from this study suggest that the AMPP addressed issues for smallholder production, including gender inequality, exclusion of smallholder farmers, and biophysical challenges associated with hillside farming systems, but it remains unclear whether and how the policy promotes small-scale agricultural mechanization for sustainable development of agriculture in the hills and mountains of Nepal.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachana Devkota & Laxmi Prasad Pant & Hom Nath Gartaula & Kirit Patel & Devendra Gauchan & Helen Hambly-Odame & Balaram Thapa & Manish N. Raizada, 2020. "Responsible Agricultural Mechanization Innovation for the Sustainable Development of Nepal’s Hillside Farming System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:374-:d:304537
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

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    3. Matthys, Marie-Luise & Acharya, Sushant & Khatri, Sanjaya, 2021. "“Before cardamom, we used to face hardship”: Analyzing agricultural commercialization effects in Nepal through a local concept of the Good Life," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
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    5. Brown, Brendan & Paudel, Gokul P. & Krupnik, Timothy J., 2021. "Visualising adoption processes through a stepwise framework: A case study of mechanisation on the Nepal Terai," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    6. Emma Karki & Akriti Sharma & Brendan Brown, 2022. "Farm mechanisation in Nepal's Terai Region: Policy context, drivers and options," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(2), pages 287-305, March.
    7. Rachana Devkota & Laxmi Prasad Pant & Helen Hambly Odame & Bimala Rai Paudyal & Kelly Bronson, 2022. "Rethinking gender mainstreaming in agricultural innovation policy in Nepal: a critical gender analysis," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1373-1390, December.
    8. Michał Dudek & Wioletta Wrzaszcz, 2020. "On the Way to Eco-Innovations in Agriculture: Concepts, Implementation and Effects at National and Local Level. The Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, June.
    9. Yumeng Wang & Jiaxu Li & Xiangzhi Kong, 2022. "What Drives Land Abandonment in Core Grain-Producing Areas? Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-19, April.
    10. David Lewis & Stephen Biggs & Scott E. Justice, 2022. "Rural mechanization for equitable development: Disarray, disjuncture, and disruption," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(5), September.
    11. Hassan A. A. Sayed & Qishuo Ding & Mahmoud A. Abdelhamid & Joseph O. Alele & Alfadhl Y. Alkhaled & Mohamed Refai, 2022. "Application of Machine Learning to Study the Agricultural Mechanization of Wheat Farms in Egypt," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Zhi Li & Ming Zhu & Huang Huang & Yu Yi & Jingyi Fu, 2022. "Influencing Factors and Path Analysis of Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: Econometric Evidence from Hubei, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.

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