Until recently the chickpea harvests in Nepal were in decline. However, smallholder production is now being rejuvenated through addressing environmental constraints and promoting them in a participatory manner. A basket of options for the improved integrated crop management (ICM) of chickpea was developed. It includes use of an improved cultivar Avarodhi (good yield and resistant/ tolerant to Fusarium wilt and Botrytis Grey Mould), seed priming, judicial fungal and insect control methods using easily available pesticides, application of boron and Rhizobium in deficient areas, and management of fertiliser inputs and water. In addition, the value of the biological pesticide Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) was validated. In several areas, the NPV was more effective than Thiodan, the insecticide recommended to farmers to control the insect.
