The Block Production Programme

• The Block Production Programme (BPP) is an approach of extension services that has its roots in the concept of Green Revolution technology development in that production and productivity can be increased when complete packages of production practices are integrated and concentrated in a particular commodity in the contiguous agricultural area called the “block”.
• In 1982, the approach was tested in the two Terai districts of Chitwan and Parsa under a USAID-supported Integrated Cereals Project (ICP).
• Later it was expanded to the entire Terai and some hill districts with the government funding.
• Originally, the block consisted of 1,000 hectares of contiguous plots but was later changed to 100-hectare sub-blocks when the pre-requisites were not available for larger size “blocks”.
• In the hills regions, the sub-blocks were often of much smaller size, some of just 20 hectares per block.
• The success of BPP rests on the integrated use of seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, and management practices.
• These inputs were to impact raising productivity through large-scale demonstration effect to the farmers and to support self-reliance in the food security needs of the country.