Parsa District Research Articles

Empirical Analysis of Paddy Value Chains in Nepal: Evidence from Logistic Regression Modeling

Background: In the South Asian region, rice is one of the most significant staple food crops. The value chain provides a lot of support for a seamless operation from growth to reaching clients' hands. It not only aids farmers, but it also creates opportunities at every stage. As a result, the goal of this research is to determine the value chain analysis of paddy products in Nepal. Objective: The objectives of the study were to analyse value chain analysis of paddy product, and to identify the constraints and opportunities of rice value chain in Parsa, Siraha and Saptari districts of Nepal. Method: The thesis followed the design of explanatory research and collected data using structured questionnaires. Binary logistic Model was used for inferential analysis. Siraha, Saptari and Birgunj (Parsa) districts are chosen purposely. 260 respondents were conveniently sampled from farmers and traders. Result: The study shows the cooperatives play role in accessing credit, accessing inputs, and training with the help of government and non-government organization. The study tells us the fact that paddy value chain functions in a traditional way, there is no innovative way of integrating the chain actors. The cooperatives are involved in both input supply and credit service. Ages, off-farm income, access to information, access to input are the factors that add value in paddy value chain. Conclusion: This research is based on value chain analysis of paddy product in Parsa, Siraha and Saptari districts. Generally, the price of rice/paddy goes down in the post-harvest period due to heavy arrivals in the market and later shoots up, which results in unstable price. Providing better access to credit to farmers to reduce dependence on money lenders can solve the existing problem. Paper Types: Research Paper Keywords: Value Chain Analysis, Framers, Traders, Value addition, Logistic Model, Kobo toolbox. JEL Classification: N55, C8, Q18, Q24, Q25

Assessing Preference of Four-Wheel Tractors among Farmers of Parsa District, Nepal

This study aims to examine attributes preferred by farmers of Parsa district for choosing four-wheel tractors. This study presents how farmers perceived their effectiveness based on common attributes of tractors like origin, brand, fuel consumption, horsepower, price, availability of spare parts, and their repair and maintenance. The study is quantitative and based on primary data. A non-probabilistic sampling technique was used with a sample size of 85. Conjoint analysis was applied to estimate part worth utility value, utility range and ranking the attributes of four-wheel tractor. The result show that farmers gave highest preference to fuel consumption with respect to highest utility value following horsepower, origin, price, availability of spare parts and repair and maintenance. Similarly, results show that branded and low-price tractor whose spare parts can be found easily in local market along with assured repair and maintenance facility available from authorised agency is preferred by farmers. Horsepower has been important attributes for tractorselection, where farmers are mostly preferring tractors having horsepower greater than 45 hp. This study findings will provide valuable tools and a basic framework for suppliers and manufacturers for evaluating their market efficiency and preparing strategies for promoting four-wheel tractors.

Assessment of microfilaremia in 'hotspots' of four lymphatic filariasis endemic districts of Nepal during post-MDA surveillance.

The lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination program in all sixty-three endemic districts of Nepal was based on annual mass drug administration (MDA) using a combination of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and albendazole for at least 5 years. The MDA program was started in the Parsa district of the Terai region and at least six rounds of MDA were completed between 2003 and 2017 in all filariasis endemic districts of Central Nepal. Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS) report indicated that circulating filarial antigen (CFA) prevalence was below the critical value i.e., ≤ 2% in selected LF endemic districts of Central Nepal. Based on the TAS report, antigen-positive cases were found clustered in the foci of those districts which were considered as "hotspots". Hence the present study was designed to assess microfilaremia in hotspots of four endemic districts of Central Nepal after the MDA program. The present study assessed microfilaremia in hotspots of four endemic districts i.e. Lalitpur and Dhading from the hilly region and Bara and Mahottari from the Terai region of Central Nepal. Night blood samples (n = 1722) were collected by finger prick method from the eligible sample population irrespective of age and sex. Community people's participation in the MDA program was ensured using a structured questionnaire and chronic clinical manifestation of LF was assessed using standard case definition. Two districts one each from the hilly region (Lalitpur district) and Terai region (Bara district) showed improved microfilaria (MF) prevalence i.e. below the critical level (<1%) while the other two districts are still over the critical level. There was a significantly high prevalence of MF in male (p = <0.05) and ≥41 years of age group (p = <0.05) community people in the hotspots of four endemic districts. People who participated in the previous rounds of the MDA program have significantly low MF prevalence. The upper confidence limit of MF prevalence in all hotspots of four districts was above the critical level (>1%). Chronic clinical manifestation of LF showed significant association with the older age group (≥41 years) but not with sex. The study revealed LF transmission improved in hotspots of two districts while continued in others but the risk of LF resurgence cannot be ignored since the upper confidence level of MF prevalence is over 1% in all the hotspots studied districts. High MF prevalence is well correlated with the number of MDA rounds but not with the MDA coverage. Community people involved in MDA drug uptake in any previous and last rounds have significantly less MF infection. Hence it is recommended that before deciding to stop the MDA rounds it is essential to conduct the MF survey at the hotspots of the sentinel sites.

Factors Affecting the Achievement of Students in Mathematics

The program offered at the secondary level (specially in class 9 and 10) of Nepal requires the completion of mathematics courses. To go to science and technology subjects in class 11 and 12 as well as in university level, the students should succeed in the class 10 examination (SEE) in mathematics so that this will provide the pathway for them to be succeed in the study of university level. This research aims to investigate the factors affecting the achievement of students in mathematics at secondary level. For acquiring this aim, this study has used qualitative research method for completing the entire work. The primary data for this study was collected through focus group discussion with mathematics teachers and head teachers. All secondary schools in Nepal were considered as the population of the study and selected four districts viz Chitwan, Gorkha, Makawanpur and Parsa as the first stage of sampling. In the second stage, secondary level mathematics teachers of Chitwan, Gorkha, Makawanpur and Parsa districts were taken as sampling population. Eight groups of mathematics teachers consisting of two groups from each district and two group of head teachers from Chitwan district chosen using purposive sampling method were sample for this study. The collected information was analyzed using constant comparison method of data analysis. The results of the study showed that teachers beliefs solely not responsible for the students’ achievement in mathematics, but integrated effects of variables such as students’ factors, teachers’ factors, system factors, environmental and societal factors were the causes for the low achievements of students in SLC/SEE.

Tornado as a Disaster in Terai Region of Nepal

Tornadoes are a specific type of storm and, being a natural disaster, they cannot be stopped. However, it is possible to reduce their impact. Tornadoes are formed when different types of air mix, creating molecular clouds filled with water vapor. As the clouds with dry air separate, low pressure is formed leading to the occurrence of tornadoes. They primarily occur at sea level when air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. To depict the affected areas of Bara and Parsa districts in Nepal, the ARC GIS MAPPING software is utilized to create a map. Tornadoes can be anticipated if there is a presence of dust particles and cloud formations, particularly during the pre-monsoon period. However, accurate and timely severe weather forecasting alone is insufficient to mitigate the impact of these events. The size and speed of a tornado are influenced by various factors, such as the heating system from the land, the release of latent heat within the atmosphere, local geography altitude, seasons, and land or surface features.

Factors Affecting School Participation of Visually Impaired Children

Factors Affecting School Participation of Visually impaired children is a narrative inquiry on the affecting factors that hinders the visually impaired children at school and home from learning. This research aims at exploring the current scenario of the participation of visual impaired children in school education and its affecting factors. I used qualitative research design with a narrative approach. The site of this study was one of the community schools in the Parsa district. The population of this research was two students and a teacher from the school. I used a purposive sampling procedure. I conducted an in-depth interview using interview guidelines as a data collection tool, developed themes based on the information provided by the participants, and linked them with theories. It was found that the participation of visually impaired children seemed very poor being affected by the factors like-poverty, pedagogical preparation, required materials for visually impaired children, peer behavior, lack of self-efficacy, decreased ability to perform physical tasks, traditional perceptions towards disability, violence and defending capability. This research will support the policymakers, teachers, related stakeholders, and duty bearers for policy making and implementation to increase the participation of visual impairment students in school education and reduce the factors that influence them to place them in educational opportunities.

Issues in rice marketing system: a case of central terai

This study was conducted to understand the challenges and prospects of ricemarketing by taking case of central Nepal. Two focus group discussionsalong with eight key informants’ interviewswere conductedinBara and Parsa districts of Nepal.Also, secondary information was collected by reviewing the related literatures.The study revealed that the consumer price of rice is almost double than the farm gate price, possibly due to the presence of several intermediaries in different nodes of the supply chain.Key market actors like large collectors, millers and wholesalers have a dominating role in price negotiation and supply of rice in the market. The rice value chain is not strong enough, which might be due to poor vertical and horizontal as well as backward and forward linkages among the key players. The demand of fine and aromatic rice is gradually increasing due to changing food habits of the consumers and their access to purchasing capacity as well.The high yielding short duration varieties of fine and aromatic rice need to be identified and developed to meet the growing demand of consumers.In addition, to boost productivity and profitability of rice, a better investment climate, risk sharing mechanism and strengthened value chain with efficient research and extension services are required.

Geospatial Analysis of Habitat Suitability for Greater One-horned Rhino Rhinoceros unicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) in Central lowlands of Nepal using MaxEnt Model

The prime Greater One-horned Rhino’s (Rhinoceros unicornis) habitats include a mosaic of grasses, oxbow lakes, Shorea robusta forests, and alluvial floodplains and the major habitat of this species is riverine grasslands dominated by Imperata cylindrical and riverine forests dominated by Trewia nudiflora. This study was mainly focused on the analysis of habitat suitability of Rhinoceros unicornis in Nawalparasi, Chitwan, and Parsa districts of Nepal. The secondary data such as bioclimatic and topographical variables were collected from relevant sources. Spatial data were processed using various tools of ArcGIS while the presence data were converted using Excel, and analysis was done with Maxent. The results showed that approximately 75.17% (53.32 sq. km) of suitable area is occupied by Chitwan National Park. Similarly, Barandabhar Corridor Forest occupies 7.38% (18.89 sq. km) of the suitable area of the landscape. While, there is no area suitable for Greater One-horned Rhinoceros in Parsa National Park. Among Land Use Land Cover (LULC), the riverbed was found to be the most important variable. Invasion of invasive plants was found to be the most frequent disturbance factor followed by human disturbances and forest fires. Though grassland management is an important part of habitat management, it is highly recommended that the management of waterholes should be done. Protected Area manager should conduct localised habitat suitability assessment once the area is found suitable at the landscape level and further field verification should be done. Invasive plant control measures and alternatives to meet the forest product demand should be promoted.

Efficacy of Customized Soft Occlusal Splints in the Management of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders among the Population of Parsa District of Nepal

Background: In recent years, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) have been a highly debated topic. TMD is the collective term of clinical problems that involves the masticatory apparatus, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and its associated structures or both. It is really a tough challenge for both the dental and the medical specialists and is often difficult to diagnose and treat such a disorder as the presenting symptoms can be variable. A variety of treatment modalities have been described in the literature for its management and the conservative method is most preferred. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of soft occlusal splint therapy among the population of Parsa district of Nepal in the management of TMDs. Materials and Methods: Thirty subjects with signs and symptoms of TMDs were included in the study, out of which 13 (43.3%) subjects were males and 17 (56.7%) were females, with age ranging from 21 to 40 years. Soft occlusal splints were given to the patients for about 3 months and evaluated for reduced mouth opening, tenderness of TMJ (preauricular), TMJ sounds, and mandibular deviation after 1 week of initiation of therapy and every month for 3 consecutive months. Results: There was a significant improvement of 3.06 mm (9.7%) in mouth opening, 86.7% of subjects showed significant reduction in preauricular tenderness, 80.0% subjects showed reduction in TMJ sounds, and 76.7% of subjects showed improvement in mandibular deviation after 3 months of the splint therapy. Paired t-test and Chi-square tests were done for comparison. Conclusions: Soft occlusal splints can be used effectively as a conservative treatment modality in reducing the signs and symptoms related to TMDs.

Engaging Private Health Care Providers to Identify Individuals with TB in Nepal.

In Nepal, 47% of individuals who fell ill with TB were not reported to the National TB Program in 2018. Approximately 60% of persons with TB initially seek care in the private sector. From November 2018 to January 2020, we implemented an active case finding intervention in the Parsa and Dhanusha districts targeting private provider facilities. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, we reported on crude intervention results. We further compared case notification during the implementation to baseline and control population (Bara and Siraha) notifications. We screened 203,332 individuals; 11,266 (5.5%) were identified as presumptive for TB and 8077 (71.7%) were tested for TB. Approximately 8% had a TB diagnosis, of whom 383 (56.2%) were bacteriologically confirmed (Bac+). In total, 653 (95.7%) individuals were initiated on treatment at DOTS facilities. For the intervention districts, there was a 17%increase for bacteriologically positive TB and 10% for all forms TB compared to baseline. In comparison, the change in notifications in the control population were 4% for bacteriologically positive, and −2% all forms. Through engagement of private sector facilities, our intervention was able to increase the number of individuals identified with TB by over 10% in the Parsa and Dhanusha districts.

Straight‐line winds hit parts of Bara and Parsa districts of Nepal

Destruction of homes in Puraniya village of Parsa district of Nepal caused by the storm on 31 March 2019.

Establishment and Management Of COVID-19 Testing Molecular Laboratory in Minimal Resource Setting, Challenges and Issues Reported From Birgunj, Nepal – An Experience of Pathologist

The Coronavirus pandemic is recording numerous deaths worldwide. The temporal distribution and burden of the disease varies from setting to setting based on economic status, demography and geographic location. Nepal reported the first COVID-19 case on January 23, 2020. A rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases was being reported in Nepal as of June 2020. Limited molecular laboratory capacity in resource limited settings is a challenge in the diagnosis of the ever-increasing cases and the overall management of the disease. In this article, we share the experience, challenges and prospects in the rapid establishment of COVID-19 testing laboratory in Birgunj from available resources. We provide empirical evidence from Parsa district, as this is one of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission hotspots in Nepal and it is likely generalizable to other similar settings in the country. The first step in establishing the COVID-19 molecular testing laboratory were i) identifying a suitable space ii) renovating it and iii) mobilizing materials including consumables, mainly from the hospital store and administration. A chain of experimental design was set up with distinct laboratories to standardize the extraction of samples, preparation of the master mix and detection. At the commencement of sample reception and testing, laboratory contamination was among the primary challenges faced. The source of the contamination was identified in the master mix room and resolved. In summary, the established COVID-19 testing lab (Narayani PCR Lab) has tested more than 40,000 samples (January 2021) and is now the preferred setting for CoVID-19 testing. The lessons learnt may benefit the further establishment of testing laboratories for COVID-19 and/or other epidemic/pandemic diseases in resource-limited settings.

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF MAJOR VEGETABLES IN PARSA DISTRICT, NEPAL

The survey research was conducted to analyze the economics of production and marketing of major vegetables in Parsa district of Nepal from December 2019 to April 2020. Primary data for the household survey were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire from sixty sampled respondents, sixteen from Pokhariya municipality, and forty-four from Bahudarmai municipality. Secondary data were collected through scientific journals, articles, and publications from agricultural organizations, projects, and programs. Average area under vegetable cultivation was found 12.68 Kattha. Out of five major vegetables under study average cost of production per kattha was found highest for pointed gourd (Rs. 11551.50) lowest for okra production (Rs. 6071/kata). The majority of production cost was covered by labor cost (&gt;40%). The average productivity of cauliflower, okra,brinjal, chilli, and pointed gourd was 27.3 Mt/ha,19 Mt/ha,16.67 Mt/ha, 27.52Mt/ha, and 25.83Mt/ha respectively. B:C ratio of all the vegetables under study was higher than three which implies that vegetable farming in the study area is profitable farm business. Producers-wholesalers-retailers-consumers was the most used marketing channel. Market margin of cauliflower, okra, brinjal, chilli and pointed gourd was Rs. 13/kg, Rs. 7.73/kg, Rs. 7.86/kg, Rs. 28.07/kg and Rs. 8.69/kg respectively. Index of severity was constructed to rank the problems in the production and marketing of vegetables. Analysis of the problems identified shows the need for proper storage facilities, training related to vegetable farming and insect pest management, and subsidies on regular basis, and mechanization and modernization of the farming system through the introduction of technological knowledge and modern farm practice.

Spatiotemporal association of human-elephant conflict around Parsa National Park, Nepal

This study was carried to evaluate the Spatio-temporal association of human-elephant conflict (HEC) among five different rural municipalities (Nirmalbasti, Jirabhawani, Sakhuwaparsauni, Parsagadhi, and Paterwasugauli) of Parsa District around Parsa National Park in 2019. Primary data was collected by using questionnaire surveys with victims’ family and local people using random sampling method, key informant interviews with Chief Conservation Officer of Parsa National Park, District Forest Officer, ZSL field official, Chairperson of Batika Buffer Zone User Committee, focus group discussion, and field visit to verify the information. Total six people were killed and one person was survived with severe injury by the elephant attacks between 2013 and 2019 in the study area. Crop raiding was perceived as the most serious conflict from the elephants by local people. People around the national park are mostly farmers with a low level of income. They are mostly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Elephants are damaging the crops of the farmers making their livelihood difficult. HEC intensity was highest during the rice harvest season (65%), and at night (83%). Local farmers also reported that the aroma of ripening paddy had an interesting relation with HEC, it was associated with elephants’ crop-raiding behavior. Local farmers did not use any specific traditional mitigation measure but believed that planting unpalatable crops and constructing a solar fence around the national park minimizes HEC and will promote co-existence between people and elephants.

Growth and yield performance of different open pollinated tomato genotypes in Terai region of Nepal

Tomato is one of the major vegetable crops inNepal. The productivity of tomato in Nepal is very low due to lack of high yielding, disease and pests resistant varieties.The objective of the experiement was to evaluate the performance of open pollinated tomato genotypes. Ten open pollinated tomato genotypes were evaluated at on-station research field of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara in the winter seasons of 2015 and 2017, and seven tomato genotypes were evaluated at farmers’ fields of Bara and Parsa districts, Nepal in the winter seasons of 2017 and 2018.The experiments were carried out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results of the on-station experiments showed that HRDTOM084 produced the highest yield (29.1 t/ha in 2015 and 28.5 t/ha in 2017) and showed consistant performance over the two seasons. It was the superior genotype in terms of yield and yield attributing traits. Tomato genotypes HRDTOM011, HRD109, HRDTOM080 and HRDTOM086 were found vigorous with a score value 5 in 1 to 5 rating scale. The results of the farmers’ field experiment showed that the tomato genotypes HRDTOM084 and HRDTOM085 were found more productive and high yielding compared to other genotypes. The highest yield was produced in HRDTOM084 with a mean of two season yield 49.85 t/ha followed by HRDTOM085 with a mean of two season yield 47.42 t/ha).These genotypes showed moderate resistance to late blight and septoria leaf spot with a score value of 2.3 in 1-5 rating scale. Therefore, HRDTOM084 and HRDTOM085 were the most productive and gave higher yield compared to others. Hence, these two tomato genotypes can be used by tomato growers under field conditions in Terai region of Nepal.

Perception of Consumers towards Nepalese Insurance Products

This paper examines the changing perception of consumers towards Nepalese insurance products. Descriptive and causal-comparative research designs are used to achieve the objectives and data are collected through a structured questionnaire from 400 respondents of Kathmandu valley and Parsa district. Descriptive statistics, as well as multiple regression models, are used to analyze the data. It is found that consumer perception (dependent variable) is positively correlated with independent variables (company loyalty, service quality, satisfaction level, company image and ease of procedures). Company image, company loyalty and satisfaction level are the most dominant factors that influence the perception of consumers towards insurance products in the context of Nepalese insurance companies. This study is an endeavor to extend the literature of changing the perception of consumers towards insurance products and it is the first to report the evidence from the combination of Kathmandu valley and Birgunj metropolitan city of Parsa district perspective.

Prevalence of malocclusion in Parsa district: A comparative study

Introduction: Malocclusion is one of the commonest problem in dentistry and the knowledge on its prevalence on particular population group is very important to plan oral health activities. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of malocclusion in school going children of Parsa district, Nepal, and to compare the same with previous study.&#x0D; Materials and Method: The sample consisted of 250 males and 210 females (total of 460 subjects) aged between 6 to 17 years. Subjects without any previous orthodontic treatment and with no dental anomalies were included in this study. Census sampling was done for the patient visiting orthodontic from November 2018 to March 2019. Classification of malocclusion was based on Angle’s classification of malocclusion. Collected data were entered in Microsoft Excel 2007 and converted into Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 11.5 for statistical analysis. For descriptive statistics, percentage and proportion, were calculated, also tabular presentation were performed. For inferential statistics, Chi square test were used for intergroup comparison.&#x0D; Result: School going children of Parsa district, Nepal suggests 50.47% female and 45.6% of male exhibits Angle’s Class I malocclusion, 29.04% female and 30% male exhibits class II pattern, 11.4% female and 12.0% male exhibits class III pattern. The other findings reported in the study were, the occurrence of crowding of teeth more in males whereas the occurrence of spacing is more in females.&#x0D; Conclusion: Majority of the subjects in the study had Class I malocclusion. Only 9.04% female and 12.4% of male showed normal class I occlusion. The occurrence of crowding of teeth more in males whereas the occurrence of spacing is more in females. This may be due to the incidence of missing tooth is more in females.

Effect of Different Mulching Materials on Growth and Yield of Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.)

A field experiment was conducted at Bhauratar in Bahudarmai Municipality of Parsa district of Nepal during spring-summer season started from February to May 2018 to assess the effectiveness of different organic and inorganic mulches in modulating the soil environment, growth, performance and yield of okra. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 5 treatments as follows: (1) Control, (2) Black plastic mulch, (3) Rice straw, (4) Saw dust and (5) Transparent White plastic mulch. Each treatment was replicated four times. Seed germination was significantly differed with the type of mulching material used. The highest seed germination percentage (82.00) was recorded from white plastic mulch plot and the lowest germination percentage (63.75) was recorded from control plot. The highest plant height was recorded from white plastic mulch at 30, 45, 60 and 75 DAS than that of other treatments. The highest number of picking (15.5) was recorded from black plastic mulch followed by white plastic mulch (14.25). The maximum fruit length (12.18 cm) was obtained from black plastic mulch and lowest (10.84 cm) was recorded from rice straw mulch. The highest productivity (29.86 Mt/ha) was recorded from black plastic mulch followed by white plastic mulch (25.03 Mt/ha). These findings suggest that plastic mulch causes positive effects on the growth and yield of Okra and maximum yield was obtained from black plastic mulch.

Evaluation of Yield and Yield Components of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Genotypes in the Terai Region of Nepal

The productivity of eggplant in Nepal is very low due to lack of high yielding, disease and pests resistant varieties. Eight eggplant genotypes [Parwanipur Selection -1 (PS-1), Pusa Purple Long (PPL), Pokhara Lurki, Lalgulab, Pusa Kranti, Arka Keshav, HRDBRI-012 and HRDBRI-013] were evaluated at on-station research field of Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, and PS -1, PPL, Pokhara Lurki, Lalgulab, Pusa Kranti, and Arka Keshav were evaluated at farmers’ field, Bara and Parsa districts from 2018 to 2019. Results of the on-station experiment showed that genotype PS-1 was the earliest maturing genotype and was harvested at 56 days after transplanting. The number of fruits per plot (9 m2 area) was 189 in Arka Keshav followed by HRDBRI012 (180) and PS-1 (179). The number of marketable fruits per plot (9 m2) was highest in Lalgulab (166) followed by PS-1 (152). The biggest fruit size was recorded in PS-1 (130 g) followed by Pusa Kranti (121 g) and PPL (108 g). The fruit yield was recorded the highest in PS-1 (25.8 mt/ha). The genotype PS-1 was found more resistant to Fusarium wilt and shoot and fruit borer followed by PPL. In farmers field, the highest marketable fruits per plot were produced from PPL followed by Pusa Kranti and PS-1. Similarly, the highest yield and marketable yield were also recorded in PS-1 followed by Pusa Kranti. The genotypes PS-1 and PPL were superior in terms of yield and resistance to disease and pests. Therefore, they could be a promising genotypes for central Terai region of Nepal.

Geospatial mapping of COVID-19 cases, risk and agriculture hotspots in decision-making of lockdown relaxation in Nepal

The study has explored the risk scenario via geospatial mapping of temporal transmission trend of COVID-19 in 77 districts of Nepal focusing on the district-wise risk analyses based on present active cases, population density and land entry points from neighboring countries. In overall, low to very high risk zones have been identified. Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts of Province 1; Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts of Province 2; Kathmandu district of Bagmati Province, Nawalparasi West, Rupandehi, Kapilbastu and Banke districts of Province 5, as well as Kailali of Sudurpanchim Province are identified to have very high risk for COVID-19 spread. The rapid growth in the number of cases has made many districts remarkably susceptible to the infection. The vulnerability analysis has been then followed by identification of agriculture hotspots across the country in terms of major crops. 42 districts with moderate to high crop productivities have been recognized as being not in very high risk zones where the government should allow farmers to do their agriculture activities with well-maintained social distance and other safety precautions. The results when combined would suggest an urgent decision by the Government for gradual lockdown relaxation for agro-economic reinstatement what is commonly called the latent comparative advantage for Nepalese economy after tourism.