8pgs, ocial trust and social networks are a common and more valuable phenomenon for the development activities of the rural community in the context of Nepal. However, the development activities of the community are not well perceived from the lens of social trust and social network as it is essential to sustain the development activities. Considering the landscape of social trust and social networks, this study focuses on the situation and effect of social trust and social networks on the development activities at the Rupa Rural Municipality in Kaski. The purpose of this study was to explain the situation of social trust and social networks and also explore interconnection with community-level development interventions. Employing a phenomenological qualitative research design, the primary informations were collected through indepth interviews and recorded informations were transcribed, coded, decoded, analyzed and interpreted. The major thematic aspects such as social trust and social networks of community development have linked with relevant theories. The finding indicate that the development activities of community with their desire and having social trust are found successful. The social networks have played further connective role by interlinking development aspects at community level for sustaining the interventions of community development. Though the study is limited to Rupa Rural Municipality, it has established the importance of social trust and social networks for community development.
8 pages, gender, women, extension systems, acces, cell phones, farmers, Nepal (Southern Asia), India (Southern Asia), COVID-19 induced lockdowns have had far reaching impacts on the rural sector, particularly on women farmers. These impacts have been exacerbated by lack of access to reliable and timely agriculture information. Using panel phone survey data from India and Nepal, we study how women's access to agricultural extension was impacted by the lockdowns and its effect on agricultural productivity. We find that women's already low access to formal extension was reduced further, leading to an increased reliance on informal social networks. In both countries, nearly 50% farmers reported negative impacts on productivity due to inaccessibility of information during the lockdown. In India, we find that access to formal extension is mediated by crop type, geographic location and caste identity. We discuss ways in which extension systems in India and Nepal can be made more inclusive and resilient to future crisis, including by adapting group and community-based approaches to post-pandemic best practices.
