Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple crop of Nepal and is directly associated with ample water and minimum fluctuation of temperature that could affect on its production. Jumla is the unique place where rice is cultivated in the highest altitude (3000 m) in the world. To find out changes in rice production due to climatic effect, six VDCs of Jumla were chosen for the study. Household survey, participatory rapid appraisal, farmers' group discussions and desk review were used for collecting data. Rice varieties Chandannath-1 andChandannath-3 were disseminated by the formal seed system with the aim of increasing rice productivity. Despite the replacement of local varieties by improved ones the production trend seems to be stagnant. One of the factors on stagnant of rice production in Jumla is due to the lack of desirable variety with genetic traits of early maturity, less nutrient requirement compared to Jumli Marshi to cope up with the climate congruently supporting to cultural practices regarding the unique rice production systems of Jumla.

Goat marketing study was conducted in eleven districts with the objectives of exploration the existing goat marketing system in western hills of Nepal. The methodology of the study was households survey, Rapid Marketing Appraisal and use of secondary data. Some of the marketing centers are at the village level, catchments, terminal level markets and district headquarters. There are some marketing agents dealing with the goat marketing from village to the municipalities. Goat marketing agents mainly found farmers and middlemen at the village level and catchments markets. In terminal markets mainly wholesalers and middlemen were involved where as in district headquarters and municipalities middlemen, wholesalers and butchers were dealing the goat business. 59.3% respondents believed that middlemen visit in the village for goat marketing. Almost all farmers sell their goats on the basis of estimated price. Major constraints on goat marketing were lack of public goat marketing centres, lack of communications about goat marketing and lack of infrastructure etc in all the domestic markets. In the western hills of Nepal main goat marketing centre was found in Pokhara sub municipality where traders/whole sellers bring their goats to sale from different catchments. Government has the provision of establishing new goat marketing centers in each VDCs and district headquarters.

Adoption of goat production technology consists of health, breeding, nutrition, pasture and fodder and management. The study was conducted in Krishnagandaki VDC of Syangja district with the objective of exploring the existing goat production technology adoption at the farm level. The methodology of the study included household survey, participatory rural appraisal and secondary data analysis. Most of the farmers raised goats in the villages. Overall farmers reported that the average adoption of goat production technology was (42.2%). The study revealed that farmers adopted breeding technology (53.5%), health technology (34.8%), nutrition technology (36.2%), management technology (53.9%) and pasture, fodder and agro-forestry technology (32.4%).Key words: breeding; health; nutrition; pasture; managementDOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4127Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 79-82