Farmers have complained about the lack of locally produced hybrid maize seeds in the market, despite their resilience and better adaptability. Instead, they say, the market is flooded with imported seeds.

Farmers raised this concern during the concluding session of a residential training on hybrid seed production and farming technology, organized by the National Maize Research Programme in Chitwan.

Khageshwori Budha Nepali, a participant from Dailekh district, expressed concern over the limited availability of domestically produced maize seeds. "Locally produced seeds are more resilient, but they are hard to find in the market," she said. She added that with the knowledge gained from the training, farmers would be encouraged to produce and utilize domestic maize seeds.

Similarly, Kusmakhar Kafle from Nawalparasi emphasized the need to promote organic maize production and commercialize farming. He pointed out that ensuring a smooth market supply for domestically produced seeds would improve productivity and enhance climate resilience. "Nepali seeds must be made widely available," he said.

Coordination Director at the Nepal Agriculture Research Council, Bhanubhakta Pokharel, highlighted the importance of producing hybrid seeds within Nepal. He stressed the need for greater awareness and cooperation between farmers' groups and local governments to advance this initiative. "Producing hybrid seeds requires adequate knowledge, and this effort will not only increase production but also optimize land use and commercialize farming," he stated.

The training was attended by 20 farmers from various districts, where they were taught techniques for producing hybrid maize seeds domestically. -- RSS