Networking with Nepalese
June 1, 2015
The Young Crawford Group (YCG) in Tasmania consists of previous recipients of Crawford Fund Conference Scholarships and other interested researchers. The group meets to share information, hear from visiting scientists and network.
Elya Richardson from the Young Crawford Group has provided the following report:
The group met recently to hear about crop and livestock development in Nepal from Nabita Shrestha and Ramchandra Bhusal. Both speakers worked in Nepal, in agricultural extension roles, before commencing their postgraduate study at the University of Tasmania.
They spoke about the challenges Nepalese farmers faced – the hilly and mountainous farming area, difficulty in access to markets and poverty. Nabita also reminded us of the devastating effect of the recent earthquake.
Despite these difficulties, is was heartening to hear that farmer groups and cooperatives are being formed to help these farmers and that work is being done to improve livestock production. It was perhaps surprising to hear that buffalo are the dominant livestock animal in Nepal, not cattle.
Overall, this meeting was a great way to end out YCG for first semester – to gain insight into a developing country and also to be reminded that we can be supporting and praying for the country and its people in this time of hardship.
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