Legume Systems Innovation Lab Brings Together Nepal's Lentil Value Chain to Explore How Multi-Stakeholder Platforms Can Transform the Sector

From the April 2023 Newsletter

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research recently held three regional lentil value chain stakeholder workshops in Nepal. The purpose of these workshops was for attendees to understand what multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) are and to decide if they are needed for Lentil in Nepal, and if so, to begin developing plans to form a MSP in their province.

"By connecting value chain actors, farmers should receive better prices and processors should obtain the quantity and quality of grain demanded. Also, the diverse actors will collectively explain to policy makers why current policies impacting the lentil value chain should be changed and previous reactionary policies should not be repeated," explains David DeYoung, Legume Systems Innovation Lab Program Manager. "The diverse stakeholders represented at the meeting all agreed on the need for establishing a MSP and an interim committee was formed to convene the next meeting, identify priorities, and plan next steps for MSPs."

Lentils occupy 60% of the total grain legume area and production in Nepal, making Nepal the sixth largest producer and the fifth largest exporter of lentils. Given that lentil demand has expanded 6.2% over the past ten years, it is estimated that Nepal’s revenue from lentil export could double or even triple if relevant actions are taken to boost cultivated area, productivity, and market integration.

Workshops were held in the Nepalese cities of Dhangadi, Nepalgunj, and Bardibas which represent the main growing regions of the country. The project is supported by the USAID Nepal Mission.

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Eliud Barachi researcher with Alliance Bioversity and CIAT explains how multi-stakeholder platforms work and impact the bean sector in Malawi.

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Participants ask questions during the two-day event held in Dhangadi. The workshops were funded by USAID Nepal mission and will help identify weaknesses in the lentil value chain and potential solutions.

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Attendees of the multi-stakeholder platform workshop in engage in interactive discussions on the Nepal lentil sector.

 

 

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