Introduction
The proposal for this educational program was induced by my reading reports, published in our well-known WWW, discussing projects, to enhance the productivity of their farmers. In many the Nepalese government participated. The mayor part of these reports described situation in the terai but in the most recent reports also higher altitudes got attention. We can be sure that the knowledge about the possibilities to improve the situation of the farmers in the mountains and hills is present in the country, for instance at governmental offices.
The main target of the farmers in the mountains is to produce sufficient food for themselves. The amounts available for selling are low. An improvement in the productions brings more money and the growing of additional crops not only improves the financial situation but is also profitable by improving the health condition of the farmers and their families.

The farmers in the mountains have to cope with rapidly changing weather conditions. Their methods and seeds are the result of experiences gathered in centuries. There seeds have a wide spread of genetic properties. That is why their harvest prospect can be low but nearly always sufficient to survive. However, by using modern techniques, we are no longer so dependent on weather conditions, so it is possible to use more sensitive varieties which promise higher yields. Introducing new crops improves the financial situation and brings more variations in the peoples' menu. I personally do not understand why people do not replace part of the trees in the border of the jungle by fruit trees (apple, pear) or nut trees.
In everything we do, we must take care not to endanger the food production, and also the quality of that food, for the population. So we do not promote a change to large-scale monocultures, which promise a great profit.

Before the presentation of the program I like to state that according to my knowledge nowhere in the world the farmers in the mountains are getting rich as a result of their agricultural activities. To reach a higher standard of living they have to generate extra income, for instance from the tourist industry.

The project
When you are poor it is risky to experiment with the basis of your existence. That is why we proposed to sponsor an educational project for the farmers. The representatives of Duble in the local foundation Dublelee Milijuli Samuha (DMG) liked it and started to work at it. In 2011 they worked hard on it. They convened several times with private persons and governmental agencies who could contribute. In October, when Anita and I were in Kathmandu, Pradeep could provide a project plan. According to this plan the participating farmers receive instruction and guidance for a whole year. The execution of the complete program would cost about 7.000,- Euro.
This was a bit of a disappointment, because that was much more than our budget allows, but most surprising for me was the scale of the proposed project: 2 hectares of cauliflower, 3 hectares of this and so many of that. I was afraid that the proposed number of hectares is a major part of all the land available in Duble. The consequence would be that the farmers have to buy a major part of their food from the revenue of their monocultures. I doubt if they have sufficient reserves to cope with an unsuccessful harvest.
That is why I asked to discuss the scale of the project with the drafters. Scaling down would also lower the cost considerably.

Scaling down was possible without endangering the effectiveness of the project, so we received a modified plan in the middle of January. The scale was reduced to the proportions for an experiment; the governmental offices, which had induced the highest cost, did no longer participate. The people were eager to start the project, but that however was too fast for us. We too liked to contribute because the project plan listed the insecticide Malathion and there was no mention of security provisions for working with insecticides and fungicides. Further we missed a financial provision for the guidance after the start of the project.
Malathion is an powerful insecticide which now is banned in Europe and many other areas. According to internet sources there is no good alternative only in the fight against malaria. We interviewed commercial gardeners in our neighbourhood and reported the result. It showed up that the Malathion was listed by the seed salesman and that the expert for the project intended to use only products made from plants (Agriguard and Biojeb). The guidance was improved by giving additional instruction to one person living in Duble. This person will do an inspection round every week. Very good, the more local knowledge the better.

Now, there was an interesting project plan, which, when implemented, would cost about 1800 Euro. We approved that plan.

Key issues of the project

- The project covers the whole year and is performed at three locations,

- after the start there is sufficient guidance in the remainder of the year,

- the participants learn to use modern growing methods,

- the participants can gather experience in growing new crops or varieties having a higher yield,

- when a crop does not grow or does not grow well this is not a disaster; participants only learn from it,

- sufficient attention is paid to to manner how insecticides and fungicides should be used.

Planted trees:
- 6 Apple

- 6 Pears

- 3 Walnut

- 4 Persimmon

- 2 Grapes

- 6 Katus (Chestnut)

- 3 Pica-nut

- 2 Pomegranate

Seeds:
- Cauliflower, var. White-top

- Cauliflower, var. KTM-local

- Broccoli (premium)

- Cabbage, var. Copenhegan

- Mustard, var. Marfa

- Mustard, var. Khumal

- Radish, var. Pyuthane-red

- Radish (40 days)

- Pumpkin, var. Sandov

- Celery

- Onion, var. Nasid-red

- Ginger

- Turmeric (Kurkuma)

- Tomato

- Asparagus, var. Tommy-Japanese

- Ghiraula, var. Narayani (Sponge-pumpkin or -kalabas)

- Chilli, red

- Chilli, var. Bhende

- Chilli, var. Machhe

- Beans, var Rajma

- Beans, var. Rakulla

- Soya bean, var. Akash

- Soya bean, japanese

- Soya bean, var. Lumle¹

- Cucumber, var. Bhaktapure

- Peas, var. Sikkim

- Paddy rice, var. Chomrong¹

- Corn, var. Ganesh3¹

(¹) This cultivar or variety is more cold tolerant. The altitude of Duble is a little bit more than the recommended domain for the variety. So, in unfavourable years there will be less yield.

Pictures of the start


Expert JTA Satya Lama on the second day of the program in Duble

Diashow of the start of the agriculture project

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Progress report - May:

In April we already received the report that the seedlings grew prosperous, but also that the crop was damaged by hail on April 2 and 3. During that bad-weather period in Duble there were also problems in Kathmandu, no hail but heavy thunderstorms. During one of those storms Pradeep Tamang had a fall when he had to make an emergency stop. The result was that he was 2 weeks off. Pradeep is the person who takes care of the e-mail contact with us for DMG and for Kame Sherpa.
Mid-May, we received the first pictures of how the plants evolved. The pictures were taken by Naina, in March and April​.
Diashow

Progress report - June:

Naina wrote that there was good sign of production in future for the following vegetables:
Cauliflower , Peas, Chilli Bhinde, Onion, Beans, Mustard Marfa, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Radish, Pumpkin Sando-v, Celery (Dhaniya) Chilli.
Also the following fruits were developing well: Apple, Pomegranate, Pears, Persimmon and Grapes.
He sent the following pictures.