This study evaluates the combined impact of school gardens linked to complementary lessons and promotional activities about gardening and nutrition on the nutritional awareness, knowledge, perceptions, eating behaviour and nutritional status of 10-to 15-year-old schoolchildren in Nepal. We used a cluster randomised controlled trial design to collect data from 30 schools and a sample of 1275 and 785 schoolchildren for the 2014 and 2015 school years, respectively. After one year of intervention, we found a significant (p < 0.01) increase in children's awareness about fruit and vegetables, their knowledge about sustainable agriculture, their knowledge about food, nutrition and health and their stated preferences for eating fruit and vegetables. However, these improvements in intermediary outcomes did not translate into significant improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption or nutritional status. To influence children's food decisions, it may be required to work more intensively with parents and to increase the availability of fruit and vegetables at the household and community level. ARTICLE HISTORY

School gardens have become a widely used approach to influence children's food knowledge, preferences and choices in low- and high-income countries alike. However, evidence indicates that such programs are more effective at influencing food knowledge and preferences than actual food choices. Such finding may occur because school gardens insufficiently influence the food behavior of parents and because healthy food items are not always available in children's homes. We tested this hypothesis using a one-year cluster randomized controlled trial in Nepal with 15 treatment and 15 control schools and a matched sample of 779 schoolchildren (aged 8–12) and their caregivers. Data were collected before and after the intervention during the 2018–2019 school year. In addition, children's food consumption was monitored using a monthly food logbook. Average treatment effects were quantified with a double-difference estimator. For caregivers, the intervention led to a 26% increase in their food and nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001), a 5% increase in their agricultural knowledge (p = 0.022), a 10% increase in their liking for vegetables (p < 0.001), and a 15% increase in home garden productivity (p = 0.073). For children, the intervention had no discernible effect on food and nutrition knowledge (p = 0.666) but led to a 6% increase in their liking for vegetables (p = 0.070), healthy food practices (p < 0.001), and vegetable consumption (October–December +15%; p = 0.084; January–March +26%; p = 0.017; April–June +26%; p = 0.088). The results therefore indicate both schools and parents matter for nudging children toward healthier food choices.

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the total land areas respectively. The horticultural crops like mango, banana, papaya, litchi, guava, pineapple, tomato, potato, radish, brinjal, okra, chilli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucurbits, taro, coconut and arecanut are grown successfully in the terai and mid-hills. Altitude from 600 to 1800 amsl are suitable for growing citrus, pear, peach, plum, persimum, tomato, potato, beans, sweet pepper, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, turnip, leafy vegetables, coffee and tea. Similarly, apples, walnut, almond, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, beans and potato are main horticultural crops of the high hills of Nepal. Much progress has been made in the production of fruits and vegetables. Conversely, postharvest losses of these commodities are very high as a result of inappropriate harvesting and handling practices. In Nepal, different studies have shown the postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables are 20-50% (Gautam and Bhattarai, 2012). Perishable natures of most horticultural commodities demand good postharvest technologies and knowledge. Proper postharvest handling is an additional or complementary method of solving food needs. We can feed more people without bringing an additional land under production.

A study was conducted in Bhaktapur-Kalimati road corridor and laboratory of Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Horticulture Research Division (HRD), Khumaltar in 2016-2017. Major carrot production sites in this corridor are Manohara Khola, Bodephant and Mulpani. The main collection point is Garcha Bazar and Bhaktapur. From this collection center, the produce goes to the Kalimati market. In carrot production pockets, grading is not practiced. Farmers mention that grading is labor intensive. Carrots are mostly packed in 75-85 kg capacity jute sacks. The postharvest loss of carrot was found to be 35%. The loss occurred at farm gate was 10%, at collection point it was 2%, at wholesale market 5% and finally at retail market 18%. According to wholesalers, carrots are graded in 2 categories i.e. branched/cracked and normal roots, branched/cracked ones are sold in 50% less price. It was found that during the production season, the wholesale price wrinkled very low (NRs. 26/kg) while during the lean period, the prices were significantly high (up to NRs. 137/kg). Furthermore, a research conducted in the laboratory of Horticulture Research Division, Khumaltar during February-March, 2016 and 2017, calcium chloride treatment of 2.5% was found to be effective in increasing the storage life of carrots.