Background
National Horticulture Research Centre is one of the disciplinary centre under National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), Nepal Agricultural Council (NARC). Development works in horticulture started in the sixties with adoption of exotic horticultural crop varieties and technologies in farms established at different agro ecological locations of the country. Horticultural research got some attention only after the establishment of Fruit Development Division (FDD) and Vegetable Development Division (VDD) in 1972, and took some momentum in the eighties. Prior to establishment of National Agriculture Research and Service Centre (NARSC), both research and extension activities for the development of horticulture in the country were handled by VDD and FDD under the department of Agriculture /Horticulture, the name depending upon the amalgamation or separation of horticulture component. In 1987, NARSC was given a separate entity with overall responsibilities for agricultural research. Then NARSC was recognized as Nepal Agricultural Research Council with autonomy and overall agricultural research mandate according to NARC Act 1991. Although NARC had included National Horticulture Research Centre as one of its central centre in its organizational structure from the vary beginning of its establishment, it was not functioning for several years due to acute shortage of trained manpower and research station suitable for Horticulture Research Division. However, realizing the increasing importance of horticultural research in the country, the government at ministerial level decided on 16 June 1995 that the Vegetable Seed Production Centre (VSPC) located at Khumaltar would be handed over to NARC by the Department of Agriculture at the end of Eighth Five Year Plan. Hence Horticulture Division came in function with research activities sharing the VSPC premises since 1994/95.
Objectives
The centre is mandated to generate appropriate technologies that help to increase the productivity and production of horticultural crops by utilizing the agro ecological diversity of the country.
The specific objectives of the NHRC include:
- Act as a central body for horticultural research on vegetables, fruits, flowers and plantation crops which are important for domestic consumption and export
- Co-ordinate at national level for germplasm conservation and variety maintenance of vegetables and fruit
- Act as a scientific support agency and technically support the research station and horticultural commodity research programs.
- Establish linkage with national, regional and international horticultural research institutions for the exchange of expertise, materials and collaborative research.
- Publish research findings and recommendations; collaborate with extension agencies for dissemination
- Act as repository centre for information on horticultural technologies.
- Provide expertise and resource personnel’s for consultancy or training in horticultural technology to the extension agencies and private entrepreneurs.
Researchers/Experts
- Dr. Tika Ram Chapagain, Principal Scientist (S-5)/Chief
- Mr. Amar Bahadur Pun, Senior Scientist (S-4)/Chief
- Dr. Binod Luitel, Senior Scientist (S-3)
- Mr. Nabin Gopal Pradhan, Senior Technical Officer
- Ms. Mira Dhakal, Scientist
- Ms. Manju Devi Karki, Technical Officer
- Mr. Dipendra Ghimire, Technical Officer
- Mr. Sujan Subedi, Technical Officer
Contact
National Horticulture Research Centre
Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal
PO Box 1126, Kathmandu
Tel: +977-1-5541944 (Office)
Email: hrd@narc.gov.np
Website: www.narc.gov.np