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improved varieties require higher levels of inputs, \vIiich all farmers could not
afford. Both inputs and credit were not accessible to local farmers.
Livestock enterprises and milk production
The number of livestock owned by the monitored farniers is shown in Table 9. Both
intervened and control farms owned a higher number of female buffalo than other
animal species. These buffalo were often sold, exchanged, or lent when they were
pregnant or had young calves. Between 1984-85 and 1988-89, the number of buffalo
calves, sheep and goats, and bullocks increased. The average number of female
buffrllo, male buffalo, and co\vs were about the same, and all farmers raised local
breeds.
Milk production in Pumdi Bhumdi farms is an important source of income.
Between 1984-85 and 1988-89, the average amount of milk sold per year of
intervened farmers increased from 781 to 927 liters, while control farmers from 809
to 845 liters (Table 10). Because of this increase in milk sales, the average income of
intervened farmers increased by 74% and control farmers by 28%.
Fodder and forage production and livestock feeding
To reduce the deficit of animal feeds during the dry season, FSP introduced several
types of forage and fodder (e.g., oats, Napier grass, and ipil-ipil trees) at Pumdi
Bhumdi. Oats were tested in the cropping pattern in the lowland area, and Napier
grass and ipil-ipil fodder trees were planted on terrace edges and pasture lands.
Table l1 sho~~s that oats were not planted in the area before 1985. In 1988-
89, intervened farmers planted oats on a 0.03 ha land while control farmers to a
0.11 ha. FSR staff conducted the study on oat cultivation only in the fields of
intervened farniers. However, the control farmers observed the better performance
of oats and approached the Livestock Farm in Lamepatan, Pokhara, and intervened
farmers for oat seeds. Oats have been reported to yield 7-8 t green fodder/ha and
0.8-1.0 t seeds/ha, and feecling trials have indic:ited th:it milk production can be
increased by 0.35-0.5 liter/d if 6-8 kg fresh oat grass/d is added to the diet (Si~lgh
and Gautam 1980).
Farmers in Pumdi Bhumdi grow many varieties of fod(lsr. A numher uf
fodder saplings were distributed after the implementation of FSP. Table 13,
compares the number of trees and saplings before FSP and n~~ml~cr of trees and
saplings after FSP. There was an increase in the n~!rnber of fuddcr trees after the
implementation of FSP.