Organic farmers show way beyond Nepal’s fertiliser crisis

As Nepal grapples with a severe shortage of chemical fertilizers, a growing number of farmers are turning to organic methods, showcasing a viable path away from import dependency. The annual scramble for urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) intensifies as the paddy transplanting season progresses, leaving many farmers anxious.

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I do not apply any fertiliser after transplanting paddy.

However, in regions like Chitwan and Palpa, a dedicated group of growers has sidestepped this crisis entirely. By embracing organic farming, these farmers have eliminated the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Chandra Prasad Adhikari, a farmer in Chitwan, has practiced organic farming since 1990 and no longer worries about chemical inputs. He relies on farmyard manure, oilcake, and green manure crops, noting that his soil has become fertile enough over time to sustain good yields.

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Maintaining the soil's natural fertility without chemical fertilisers or pesticides has benefited us. The yield is good.

Adhikari's approach involves transplanting paddy without additional fertilizer, as the nutrients from vegetable cultivation in the previous season, including vermicompost and animal manure, suffice. He acknowledges minor issues like crop lodging due to vigorous growth but considers it a small price for maintaining natural soil fertility. Another farmer, Chhabi Lal Neupane, cultivates paddy on a significant portion of his land without chemicals for 14 years. He grows dhaincha, a nitrogen-fixing green manure crop, which he plows back into the field before the rice season, providing excellent natural fertilization.

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When it’s time to transplant paddy, we simply plough the dhaincha back into the field. It decomposes in the flooded soil and becomes an excellent natural fertiliser.

Neupane also uses powdered mustard oilcake and believes many Nepali farmers mistakenly assume high productivity is impossible without chemical inputs. He advocates for improved livestock management as a sustainable source of manure, urging the government to support this instead of solely relying on subsidized chemical fertilizers. The success of these farmers offers a compelling model for reducing Nepal's vulnerability to global fertilizer markets and promoting sustainable agriculture.

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I don’t have to worry about searching for fertiliser. My only concern now is maintaining irrigation and preparing the fields.