🌾 “नेपालीको उत्पादन नेपालीकै उपयोग, नेपालको सम्बृद्धिमा हाम्रो सहयोग”
“To cultivate a resilient, inclusive, and economically vibrant agricultural ecosystem across Nepal by integrating traditional wisdom with modern innovation—anchored along the Mid-Hill Highway as a spine for agro-economic transformation.”
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of Nepal’s agricultural imports, highlighting trends, key commodities, and strategic implications:
🚜 Nepal’s Agricultural Imports: 2024/25 Snapshot:
A Rising Tide of Dependency and Opportunity
📈 Total Import Value
- First 7 months of FY 2024/25:
Rs. 205 billion in agricultural imports - Same period last year:
Rs. 150 billion - Growth rate: +36.6%
- Trade gap:
Agricultural exports = Rs. 127 billion
Import–export deficit = Rs. 78 billion
🌾 Major Imported Commodities
| Category | Import Value (Rs.) | Growth Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals | 36.35 billion | +32% |
| Rice & Paddy | 25.37 billion | +93% |
| Maize | 10.07 billion | — |
| Wheat | 268 million | — |
| Edible Oils | 62.9 billion | +450% (soybean) |
| Soybean Oil | 38.34 billion | ↑ |
| Sunflower Oil | 17.33 billion | ↑ |
| Palm Oil | 7.23 billion | ↑ |
| Vegetables | 25.87 billion | ↑ |
| Potatoes | 5.49 billion | — |
| Onions | 2.14 billion | — |
| Garlic | 6.81 billion | — |
| Fruits | 9.5 billion | ↑ |
| Apples | 5 billion | 46.7M kg |
| Oranges, Mangoes, etc. | 4.5 billion | — |
| Lentils (Pulses) | 3.97 billion | — |
| Tea & Coffee | 5.49 billion | — |
| Sugar & Confections | 2.61 billion | — |
| Dairy Products | 908 million | — |
🧭 Strategic Insights
- Despite vast farmland, Nepal’s agricultural self-sufficiency is declining.
- Urbanization and shrinking arable land are driving vegetable imports from India (e.g., pumpkins from Bangalore).
- Government subsidies totaling Rs. 107.66 billion over five years have not reversed the trend.
- Chemical fertilizer imports remain high, indicating input dependency.
🔍 Long-Term Trends
- 2021/22: Rs. 378.6 billion in agricultural imports
- 2015/16: Rs. 150 billion
- 7-year increase: More than double
Here’s a detailed overview of Nepal’s irrigated agricultural infrastructure, combining historical data, current systems, and strategic development goals:
🌾Mapping Water, Land, and Livelihoods for Regenerative Development
📊 National Overview
- Total irrigable land: ~2.5 million hectares
- Area equipped for irrigation: ~1.17 million hectares
- Actual irrigated land: ~1.4 million hectares
- Year-round irrigation coverage: Only 19% of agricultural land
- Cropping intensity: High—up to 1.9 million hectares harvested annually on irrigated land
🛠️ Types of Irrigation Systems in Nepal:
1. Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems (FMIS)
- Covers ~70% of irrigated land
- Operates across highlands, mid-hills, and Terai
- Community-led, location-specific, and culturally embedded
- Represents grassroots democratic water management
2. Agency Managed Irrigation Systems (AMIS)
- Centralized planning and infrastructure
- Includes large-scale canal networks and surface water systems
- Challenges: limited farmer participation, transparency issues
3. Groundwater Irrigation Systems
- Tube wells, boreholes, and dug wells
- Common in Terai and water-scarce zones
- Critical for dry seasons and multi-cropping
- Sustainability concerns due to depletion and energy use
🚧 Existing Infrastructure in Nepal:
- Surface water systems: 2,254 projects irrigating ~728,447 ha
- Major Projects:
- Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project – 16,700 ha
- Mahakali Irrigation Project – 11,600 ha
- Sikta Irrigation Project – 34,500 ha
- Babai Irrigation Project – 19,000 ha
- Rani Jamara Kulariya Scheme – modernized for flexible water services
- Mechanized Irrigation Innovation Project (ADB):
- 500 deep tube wells in Rautahat & Sarlahi
- Prepaid water metering for 121,000 farmers
📈 Strategic Goals
- Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) 2015–2035:
- 60% irrigation coverage by 2025
- 80% by 2030
- Vision 25 & CWEWN Integration:
- Promote decentralized water systems
- Link irrigation to cultural corridors and agritourism
- Empower youth and farmers through training and ownership
🗺️ Our National Roadmap for Agriculture in Nepal
Focus: Cash Crops • Grains • Horticulture
Micro-Regional Lens: Mid-Hill Highway Corridor
🧭 2. Strategic Pillars
| Pillar | Description |
|---|---|
| 🌱 Sustainable Farming | Promote organic, climate-resilient practices |
| 🛤️ Corridor-Based Planning | Use Mid-Hill Highway as a development spine |
| 🧺 Crop Diversification | Encourage region-specific cash crops, grains, and horticulture |
| 🧑🌾 Farmer Empowerment | Training, soil health cards, and cooperative models |
| 🏞️ Cultural Integration | Link agriculture with pilgrimage, heritage, and tourism |
| 📈 Market Linkages | Strengthen local-to-global value chains |
🗺️ 3. Micro-Regional Focus: Mid-Hill Highway Corridor
The Mid-Hill Highway stretches ~1,776 km across 12 provinces and dozens of districts, connecting hill communities from Panchthar in the east to Baitadi in the west. It traverses diverse agro-climatic zones ideal for targeted crop planning.
🔍 Agro-Zonal Breakdown (East to West)
| Region | Key Districts | Focus Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Hills | Panchthar, Dhankuta, Bhojpur | Cardamom, ginger, maize, citrus |
| Central Hills | Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Kavre | Tomatoes, cauliflower, rice, turmeric |
| Western Hills | Syangja, Palpa, Gulmi | Coffee, millet, oranges, beans |
| Mid-West Hills | Salyan, Rukum, Rolpa | Lentils, buckwheat, apples, garlic |
| Far-West Hills | Doti, Dadeldhura, Baitadi | Off-season vegetables, barley, walnuts |
🥕 4. Crop-Specific Strategies
🌿 Cash Crops
- Cardamom: Eastern hills; promote shade-grown organic models
- Coffee: Western hills; link with agro-tourism and branding
- Ginger & Turmeric: Central hills; develop processing hubs
- Walnuts & Medicinal Herbs: Far-west; integrate with forest farming
🌾 Grains
- Maize & Millet: Promote intercropping and drought-resilient varieties
- Rice: Valley pockets; encourage SRI (System of Rice Intensification)
- Barley & Buckwheat: Mid-west hills; link with traditional diets and festivals
🍊 Horticulture
- Citrus & Oranges: Syangja, Bhojpur, Gulmi; develop cold storage chains
- Apples: Rukum, Jumla; expand high-altitude orchards
- Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Beans: Central corridor; promote tunnel farming
- Floriculture: Integrate with pilgrimage routes and cultural events
🧪 5. Enabling Infrastructure
- 🧬 Soil Health Card Nepal: Expand across corridor for precision farming
- 🏫 Training Centers: Linked to NawaDurga Village Centers
- 🚚 Agro-Logistics Hubs: Cold chains, seed banks, and cooperative markets
- 🛰️ Digital Mapping: GIS-based crop zoning and yield forecasting
- 🛕 Cultural Integration: Link farming cycles with festivals and rituals
📊 6. Implementation Phases
| Phase | Timeline | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Year 1–2 | Soil mapping, pilot farms, training modules |
| Phase 2 | Year 3–5 | Infrastructure rollout, cooperative formation |
| Phase 3 | Year 6–10 | Market integration, export readiness, tourism linkage |
🤝 7. Stakeholder Engagement
- Local Farmers & Cooperatives
- Municipal Governments & Provincial Ministries
- Educational Institutions & Himani Trust
- Private Sector & Export Agencies
- Cultural Leaders & Pilgrimage Networks
📍 8. Call to Action
Himalayan Family House invites collaborators to co-create this roadmap into reality. Whether you’re a farmer in Ramechhap or a youth leader in Doti, your soil holds the seed of transformation.
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