Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Productivity Programme (AAGPP) in Nepal Accepted for IFAD Board Approval
A programme created by IFAD and the FAO Investment Centre on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Productivity in Nepal has been accepted by the IFAD Quality Enhancement Committee and will be presented for Board approval in September 2012. The programme is designed to address three factors key to driving sustainable productivity and growth in six poor districts in the hills region of western and mid-western Nepal. These factors are: extension of the formal seed sector, smallholder goat commercialization, and local institutional and entrepreneurship development. The programme is anticipated to assist 190 000 families, with an emphasis on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, and may indeed reach larger numbers as the availability of improved seeds is expected to have an impact on yields beyond the immediate programme target area.
This programme is one of two formulation exercises, the other being in Cambodia, which uses a new collaborative approach between IFAD and FAO; this allows the FAO Investment Centre to take the lead on identification, preparation and appraisal of such programmes.
Programme preparation began in September 2011 and was completed at the end of July 2012. By IFAD standards, this is a fairly large programme that will last more than seven years with a budget of over USD 50 million. The success of programme development is largely due to the collaboration between FAO's Investment Centre staff, IFAD staff in Rome, and IFAD and FAO Nepal.