Dadeldhura, November 24

Fertile land in several parts of Dadeldhura have been lost due to lack of irrigation facility and modern agriculture technology.

The government and international non-government organisations have been spending millions of rupees on the agriculture sector annually. But, fertile lands are degrading as farmers lack necessary technology to improve the fertility of soil in the district.

Local Surendra Mali of Gandhapdhura Rural Municipality said land was losing fertility as the authority concerned had failed to introduce modern technology in farming in high hilly areas of the district.“Farmers are oblivious of millions of rupees spent under government programmes, such as Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project and Potato Super Zone,” he said.

Dipak Pathak, a local as well as an agriculture technician, said farmers faced challenges in improving soil productivity in high hilly areas whereas farmers in inner Madhes and lowlands of the district were cultivating better.

“Farmers depend on rainwater in the high hilly areas,” he said, adding the farmers left their land barren if rainfall did not occur on time.