Introduction to Nepal
Nepal is a small country, located in southern Asia between India and China with a population of 29 million (CIA, 2016). Agriculture is an important part of the Nepalese economy and society with 80% of the population involved in the industry and contributes one third of the GDP (Joshi, 2000; National Seed Board, 2013). In all three geological regions (terai, hills, and mountain), farmers commonly grow corn, wheat, rice, and a variety of vegetables (Conroy, Joshi, & Witcombe, 2012). However, they are limited when it comes to different varieties of cultivars (Joshi, 2000). As a result, exporting rutabaga seeds to Nepal has a lot of potential.
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Benefits to Nepal
Exporting rutabagas can greatly benefit the Nepalese in many ways. Currently, the demand for new varieties is high and if they are introduced it can greatly benefit farmers in Nepal (Joshi, 2000). Yields can increase by 20-30% when high quality seeds are used which would be provided by Canada (Shrestha, 2012). Many Nepalese live below the poverty line, 55%, and are threatened by food insecurity (Regmi. Singh H., Singh O., & Singh N., 2013). A study performed by Bishal et al. (2013) showed that the adoption of vegetable production in the mid-mountain region in Nepal increased farmers’ income by selling their produce in markets which improved food security. The net income of vegetable production compared to cereal production was 50% higher (Bishal et al., 2013). Rutabagas would be an excellent vegetable to introduce into production as it matures quickly and stores very well (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2014) Also, introducing rutabagas into the diet of the Nepalese would help combat malnutrition, which is predominant in that country, as it is full of important vitamins and minerals that are essential for proper bodily functions as highlighted previously (FAA, 2016; USAID, 2016)). Vitamin A is particularly important as 19.6% of women and 32.2% of children suffer from vitamin A deficiency (World Health Organization, 2016). Another small but significant benefit of exporting rutabagas is it provides diversity to the crops grown in Nepal, helping prevent the spread of disease and pests (Joshi, 2000).