Environmental research

Nepal is the second largest cardamom producing county in the world and is famous for cardamom (Amomum subulatum) species as a major cash crop grown in agriculturally unsuitable gully, shades, north facing, low sunshine moist or so called marginal lands in the mid-hills (600-2000 Meters). Within Nepal, Taplejung district stands first with 1800MT production of cardamom per year and is renowned for its organic nature. But the current drying practice is more inefficient and fuel-wood intensive consuming 1700MT of wood per year. The project intervention will help to reduce fuelwood by 50% and enhance quality of the cardamom and thus fetching higher price for the farmer. The other objective is to promote improved cardamom farming management practices which will contribute to sustainable livelihoods of cardamom farmers. The project is expected in removing barriers in terms of defining import and export of plant species, strengthening the quarantine laws and removing existing monopoly and pricing mechanisms that seem to promote only certain types of cardamom species and discourage others.

Nepal