USAID/Nepal team visit HMRP activities

Mr. John Stamm (Director, General Development Office, USAID-Nepal), Mr. Navin Hada (AID Project Development Specialist, USAID-Nepal), and Ms. Binita Rai (Admin Assistant, USAID-Nepal) visited the HMRP’s activities in Palpa and Baglung districts from 27- 29 February 2012. The team interacted with representatives of HMRP’s project partners (District Agriculture Development Offices, NARC, NGOs, Agrovets) and members of Community Based Maize Seed Production groups in both districts. Mr. Stamm, Mr. Hada, and Ms. Rai also talked with partners and CBSP members about various aspects of project activities, particularly on program sustainability, scaling up and the way forward. The team also inspected the equipment provided by the HMRP to the CBSP groups. Mr. Stamm handed over one mini-tiller each to CBSP groups in Gulmi and Baglung districts. The USAID-Nepal and HMRP/CIMMYT team also visited the R/ARS of NARC in Lumle. Lumle station has played an important role on sourse seed production, training and CBSP coordination, and the visitors had the opportunity to learn about about research and development activities conducted and coordinated by Lumle scientists. The team was happy with the activities performed by the groups and proposed strategies for program sustainability. The visit was facilitated by HMRP Team Leader Dr. G. Ortiz-Ferrara, Mr. Nirmal Gadal, Dr. Dilli KC, and Mr. Ramesh Puri.