This Book is a result of my research work for the requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Economics entitled Prosperity Realization through Irrigation & Smallholder Market Approach (PRISM) and its impact on vegetable farming and reducing poverty in Nepal. The PRISM Approach is the unique Market oriented approach developed and implemented by International Development Enterprises International (IDE International). PRISM approach is a set of tools that are used to develop an understanding of the unique situation of the rural poor and to create sustainable solutions to rural poverty. The approach have been used by IDE International ( INGO-USA) working in few Asian and African countries in poverty alleviation by involving millions of small farm household into market and create sustainable business to generate farm employment and income in order to reduce rural poverty. The approach, which has been used in Nepal for reducing the rural poor in few selected districts of Nepal, has been evaluated for its real impact on income generation and livelihood improvements of the rural farmers. The research findings have been published in various national and international Journals. The manuscripts published are collected and presented in the form of Chapters in this Book. I hope this book will be very useful and will meet the demand of the users/readers to the extent possible. I would like to welcome the constructive comments and suggestions from the users/readers which would be very valuable for the improvement of future publications.
I would like to express my sincere and deep sense of gratitude to the following Scholars for their valuable guidance, constructive suggestions, keen interest and untiring supports during the entire period of this study.
Professor Dr. Punya Prasad Regmi, Chairman of my Advisory Committee, Department of Agricultural Economics, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS, TU). At present he is the Vice Chancellor of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal.
Professor Dr. Resham Bahadur Thapa, Professor Dr. Durga Mani Gautam and Professor Dr. Ganesh Man Gurung, Members of the Advisory Committee. At Present Dr. Ganesh Man Gurung is a Chancellor of Western Region University, Region-4. Nepal.
Professor Narendra Kumar Chaudhary Dean of the IAAS, TU.
Professor Dr. Gopal Bahadur KC, Assistant Dean (Academics) and Coordinator of the Postgraduate Program, IAAS,TU.
Dr. Krishna Bahadur Karki, the retired Senior Soil Scientist, NARC.
I would like to appreciate and thank to Mr. Janga Bahadur Gurung and Mr. Falman Gurung including their team members who gave me full supports for data collection from Kapilvastu and Kaski districts, respectively. I would also like to thank all respondents of Kapilvastu and Kaski districts who provided invaluable and reliable information during the field survey.
Very special appreciation and thank goes to my youngest son Mr. Muktisen Gurung who helped me at various stages of this study right from questionnaire preparation, data tabulation, compilation, processing and data analysis. It is a matter of my immense pleasure to express my deep gratitude and heartfelt respect to my parents who brought me in this universe to accomplish a high level educational degree which can rarely happen at the age of sixties. I would also like to express a very special sense of love and appreciation to my wife Mrs. Indira Gurung, sons Mr. Bibek Sen Gurung and Mukti Sen Gurung, daughter-in-laws, Mrs. Sarmila Gurung and Pushpa Gurung and grand- daughters Numa Sara Gurung, Melissa Gurung and Grandson Mr. Miles Sen Gurung for their affections, inspirations and untiring supports and care. Finally, I would like to acknowledge all those individuals and institutions who helped me directly or indirectly in making this study a success and bringing this BOOK as an output.
