KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 19
Japan formally handed over the newly constructed Turmeric Processing Center to Pyuthan Municipality on Tuesday. The handover ceremony marked the successful completion of the Project for the Construction of a Turmeric Processing Center in Pyuthan, a venture supported by the Government of Japan.
Kikuta Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, attended the ceremony.
The project was implemented by the Volunteer Nepal National Group (Vol Nepal) and supported by the Government of Japan under the Grassroots and Human Security Grant Assistance Project (GGP) for USD 81,180 (approximately NPR 10 million), according to the statement issued by the Japan Embassy in Kathmandu.
The project aims to improve the livelihood of local farmers by increasing the production efficiency and developing the commercialization of turmeric for the people in Ward 8 of Pyuthan Municipality and neighboring areas. In this area, the soil conditions are suitable for turmeric, but farmers cultivated the crop using traditional methods and the products were mostly for their own consumption. In addition, the farmers did not have machinery to process the products, and the low price of unprocessed products made it difficult for them to escape poverty. Vol Nepal, since its establishment in 2005, has been working for sustainable development of rural communities, including this area, and requested the support from the Government of Japan to improve the situation. Upon the request, 10 mini-tillers were installed and a turmeric processing facility with necessary equipment was constructed through this GGP, the statement added.
At the ceremony, Ambassador Kikuta congratulated and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all those involved in the project. He emphasized that the project would greatly contribute to improving the livelihoods of the farmers. The high quality products will help to increase the income of the farmers and lead to sustainable development of the local community. The Embassy hopes that the project will contribute to further deepening the friendly relations between the people of Japan and Nepal.
GGP was established to implement projects that directly benefit people at the grassroots level for the socio-economic development of communities. Since 1991, over 200 GGP projects have been completed in Nepal, the embassy said.
