The study was based on primary data from 473 lentil farmers selected randomly to analyze productivity, profitability, efficiency, and sensitivity of lentil farms in Nepal. Methods like benefit–cost, break‐even, margin safety, and sensitivity analysis, scaling technique, Cobb–Douglas type of production function, and stochastic frontier were adopted to derive farm economics, allocative, and cost efficiency levels. With average productivity of 672 kg/ha, lentil farmers in the study area were earning about 41% profit as of gross return with a profitability index of 0.78. About 45% margin of safety and estimates of benefit–cost ratio above one on all sensitivity measures is indicative of low risk and robust enterprise. Resources allocated in lentil production were found inefficient, and to achieve maximum return, expenses on land preparation, seed, nutrient, and plant protection cum irrigation should be increased by 27.6%, 80%, 33.1%, and 97%, respectively. Similarly, expenses on labor and harvesting activities need to be decreased by 30.1% and 23.6%. Labor cost and seed cost were the most important variables, and a 1% increase would surge the total production costs by 0.42% and 0.19%, respectively. The cost efficiency was estimated as 1.137 mean value, meaning that over 13.7% of the costs in lentil farms is wasted while comparing best‐practiced farm. Only about 48% of farms is fairly efficient at efficiency levels 1.0 to 1.09, but the majority is inefficient, which needs to minimize the waste of resources. Although suffering from climatic risks and production‐related problems, lentil enterprise is profitable, less risky, less sensitive, and fairly to inefficient in resource use. Wise attention is need on the part of farm management and resource utilization. Farmers are suggested to maintain farm size around 0.5 ha or below 1 ha, use only improved varietal seed, cut labor expenses with the use of machinery, and perform adequate tillage during sowing followed by effective disease management practices.

A research was conducted using primary data for the year 2012 obtained from randomly selected 120 vegetable farmers using pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule. Nalang and Salang VDCs of Dhading district in Nepal were purposively selected for the study. Different variables were fed to probit regression model to identify and quantify the major factors affecting the adoption of sustainable soil management technology. Overall, the model predicted 85.76%of the sample correctly. The findings of the study revealed that number of economically active family members, household head education, livestock holding, membership in farmer's group and credit availability affects positively whereas, age of household head affects negatively in the adoption of sustainable soil management technology. A unit increased in economically active family members, years of education and livestock standard unit would increase the probability of adoption of technology by 21.3, 5.8 and 7.6% respectively. Likewise, if farmers were made member in the groups and credit made available, the probability of adoption of technology would increase by 46.2 and 46.3% respectively. But a unit increased in the age of household head would decrease the level of adoption by 1.4% indicating old aged farmers do not adopt innovative technologies in agriculture. Key words: Nepal, adoption, probit, sustainable soil management, vegetable.

Commodity value chain sustainability is critical for agricultural growth, especially for lentil (Lens culinaris), an important commercial legume in Nepal grown under risky conditions. This study assesses production risks and value chain sustainability using econometric modelling. Data were collected through surveys of 473 farmers, 155 traders, 85 business enablers, 12 key informant interviews, and 4 focus group discussions. Employing a triple bottom-line framework, value chain mapping, exploratory factor analysis, scaling, indexing, and Seemingly Unrelated Regression, the study reveals a buyer-driven, multi-actor, informal, inclusive, multi-channel, yet profitable lentil value chain with limited product and information flows and weak actor linkages. Seven distinct marketing channels were identified. Sustainability assessment rated economic and environmental dimensions as “good,” while the social dimension was “moderate.” The value chain excels in profitability, employment, scalability, household food security, nutrition, and soil fertility but faces constraints in coordination, value share, farmers’ bargaining power, market information, storage, pricing, and value addition. Yield and profit risks were most significant due to high output variability, while cost risks remained low. Farmers perceived climatic hazards (mean score 4.11) and disease incidence (3.86) as major risks. Key risk-management strategies included crop diversification (4.09), seed saving (4.02), and cooperative involvement (3.60). Factor analysis identified seven strategic risk groups. Seemingly Unrelated Regression revealed that strategy adoption is significantly influenced by risk types, gender, income, land size, group membership, credit access, and service proximity. Risk aversion was low in 7.3% of farmers, medium in 72.3%, and high in 11.2%. From sustainability perspective, cost reduction, early warning systems with rapid response teams, use of improved seeds, crop diversification, collective actions, and stronger value chain coordination are recommended.

Diverse production system and cultivation methods are followed for lentil crop in Nepal. This study was designed to analyze differentiated yield and cost benefit analysis of lentil by scale, method and purpose of production. Four major lentil producing districts in Nepal was purposively selected and followed multistage sampling. Face-to-face interview method was applied with randomly selected 473 respondents using pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule for primary data collection in 2022. Descriptive statistics, comparative yield analysis, benefit cost analysis methods were adopted and analyzed using MS-excel and STATA software. The average yield (kg/hac.) of lentil was 672.6 in the study area. Yield analysis resulted higher yield with the seed producer (739.1 kg/ha.) followed by improved seed user (706.3 kg/ha.), small scale farms (690.1 kg/ha.), commercial scale farms (658.0 kg./ha.), local seed user and grain producer (652.9 and 653.4 mt/ha.). Again, benefit cost ratio was higher among the seed producer (2.02) indicating lentil seed producing as a higher profitable enterprise followed by improved seed user (1.88), commercial farms (1.79), small scale farms (1.77) and grain producers (1.71). It can be concluded that lentil farming with a purpose of producing seed by the use of improved varietal seed in a commercial scale with good management practices is highly profitable. Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 10, Issue-3: 60-65

The lentil (Lens culinaris) sector in Nepal has realized as an export potential commodity but lacks adequate trade related research and development. To study the growth, export performance and trade competitiveness of Nepalese lentil, secondary data pertaining for the period of 30 years (1990–2019 A.D.) were analyzed classifying as pre and post WTO period for Nepal. Compound annual growth rate (CAGR), Cuddy-Delle Velle instability index, export performance ratio, reveled comparative advantage (RCA), trade specialization and Herfindahl-Hirschman index were analyzed. The trend analysis showed highly fluctuation with the growth rate of 40.31 and 42.24 percent per annum has been noticed in import value and quantity respectively. Whereas; the export quantity is found negative growth of 0.43 percent and export value with the growth of 1.44 percent. High instability was found in all parameters of export and import and highest variation was noticed for pre-WTO period in comparison to post-WTO. Nepal enjoys relatively strong competitiveness in export of lentil with RCA value greater than 1. Trade specialization index fluctuated over the years, it remains in the stage of import substitution declining from growth stage and have witnessed positive direction to revive the lentil export performance from Nepal. Herfindahl-Hirschman index showed that the Nepalese lentil market for export is highly concentrated which can lead to high economic risks. Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 11, Issue-(1-2): 7-16.