MAHOTTARI: Farmers engaged in animal husbandry across Madhesh province are set to receive Rs 2 billion in grants aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and encouraging production-oriented activities.
The Economic Corridor Project Office, under the Madhesh Province Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Bardibas, confirmed that the grant distribution process has reached its final phase.
A total of 179 farmer groups, comprising over 5,000 farmers from eight districts, have been selected to receive the funds.
The program, financially supported by the World Bank, aims to foster rural enterprises and strengthen market connections within the agricultural value chain.
According to Surendra Yadav, Chief of the Economic Corridor Project Office, the grants will be allocated based on the number of farmers in each group and the strength of their project proposals.
Among the districts, Rautahat will receive the highest share with Rs 550 million, followed by Saptari (Rs 310 million), Mahottari (Rs 260 million), Dhanusha (Rs 230 million), Sarlahi (Rs 160 million), and Bara (Rs 140 million). Parsa will receive the lowest amount, totaling Rs 70 million.
The grants require a cost-sharing approach where the farmer groups are expected to contribute 55% of the investment, while the project office will provide the remaining 45%. The initiative is being implemented across 84 local levels connected to the East-West Highway and the Postal Highway.
Santosh Prakash, Information Officer at the Economic Corridor Project Office, emphasized that the program’s primary objective is to create a supportive environment that promotes market relations between small producers and agricultural value chain stakeholders, ultimately driving rural enterprise development.
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