Agricultural Development- Status,Contribution in National Economy, Challenges

Agricultural Development and its Status

For the majority of people in Nepal, agriculture serves as their primary source of nutrition, income, and employment. Agriculture is essential to the economy. Agriculture is given top priority for economic growth since it depends on expanding the output of already-existing crops and broadening the agricultural base so that it can supply industrial inputs. Production of crops that are regarded as significant crops, such as potatoes, sugarcane, oilseeds, tobacco, and potatoes, is rising. The main agricultural items going to India make up the majority of exports. These elements, as well as the weather, have a significant impact on crop output. Most farmers in Nepal sell their products domestically rather than exporting excess produce. The majority of Nepal is mountainous, hence there are some areas where there is a food shortage. The majority of farmers ship their produce over the border to India because it is tough to transport their goods in the isolated region. There is a sizable population of cattle, goats, and chickens, but the food they generate is not even enough to meet local needs due to the lack of quality. Only 5% of production rose in recent years due to unfavorable weather and a lack of some agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer. In actuality, the level of production has been impacted by weather changes. The productivity of the workforce rose, which contributed to some of the gains in output throughout the 1980s. Other benefits came from proper land usage and favourable weather conditions.

According to the International Labor Organization, 68% of Nepal's population is employed in the agriculture and forestry industry, which accounts for 34% of the country's GDP. However, Nepal's struggle to provide a sufficient amount of food for its people has led to a rise in agricultural productivity. Farmers lack complete access to better seeds, cutting-edge technologies, and market prospects. No rise in agricultural output has stifled rural economies, exacerbated widespread hunger, or boosted urban migration. According to WHO statistics, 13% of Nepal's population is considered to be undernourished. Of Nepal's under-5-year-old children, 40% are stunted, 29% are underweight, and 11% are wasting away. Children who suffer from chronic malnutrition might develop lifelong consequences such as blindness, cognitive impairment, and infectious infections. Despite the challenges, there are numerous options to guarantee a sufficient food supply for all Nepalis. Food security is now a top national issue for the government of Nepal.

Agricultural Contribution in National Economy

Growing agriculture is predicted to increase national income, which is the most evident contribution. Agriculture's growth and contribution must, however, be viewed in the perspective of the whole economy. Understanding the mechanisms through which the agriculture sector is connected to the entire economy is necessary in this larger context. The intersectional ties between agriculture and the rest of the economy, as described in Chapter III under the development system as outflow-inflow linkages, will be analyzed for the agricultural sector in terms of:

• National Product Contribution
  • In the past, the aggregate product growth of the various economic sectors, weighted by their respective relative sizes, has been used to gauge a nation's economic development. For an empirical analysis of the rate of contribution of agriculture over a longer time span, there are no comprehensive statistics available.
• Market Interrelations Economic Development
  • Suggests a growing interconnectedness between many industries. Agriculture operates under a context of isolation that is challenging to break through using contemporary economic techniques, which is one main implication of the industry's relatively low per worker produce. The impact of the growing middle class on national growth The supply of intermediary commodities to the agricultural sector creates interdependence. Second, an increase in the supply of agricultural commodities is likely to be accompanied by a decline in the prices of these commodities, which will have an upward effect on the level of real wages and, as a result, a favorable competitive position for the non-agricultural sector. Both of these factors directly contribute to the growth of the non-agricultural sector.

The contribution of Nepal's agriculture has been more noticeable in its involvement in international trade than in domestic trade. Since agriculture has always been the primary economic activity in Nepal, the country has traditionally exported agricultural (mostly food-related) and forest products to India, from whom it imports its essential consumer items.

Challenges of Agriculture in Nepal

With 79 percent of the population employed in agriculture and livestock farming, Nepal has a predominantly agrarian economy. As a result, for the Bhutanese, agriculture is a significant source of employment and a component of daily life. As the government strives to achieve food self-sufficiency through domestic production, addressing agriculture concerns is essential for planning, decision-making, and policy-making. Additionally, in order to supply more nutrient-dense food and ensure the food security of a growing population, the demand for food is still rising. obstacles to agriculture include land fragmentation, conflict between people and wildlife, Since agricultural productivity and growth remain essential to reducing poverty, especially in a country like Nepal where a sizable portion of the population depends on agriculture and agribusiness for their livelihood, inadequate irrigational facilities are a growing problem that requires immediate attention. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the difficulties and solutions associated with micro-scale agricultural operations. In the agricultural nation of Nepal, more than 65 percent of people still depend on agriculture for their living. For many individuals who live in Nepal's outlying regions, agriculture is their primary source of income. However, given Nepal's topography, climate, and wildlife problems, insufficient irrigation and water supplies, and labor and resource shortages, farming is an extremely difficult occupation. In addition, farmers continue to practice the labor- and difficulty-intensive traditional way of agriculture. Farmers also have to deal with a variety of natural disasters, such as flood, landslide, drought, irregular rainfall, acidic rains, etc. Making it even more challenging to maintain in this shifting circumstance. In this backdrop, the government of Nepal recently developed a 20-year agriculture development strategy that places a strong emphasis on increasing agricultural production to address the nation's issues with food and nutritional security while protecting the environment. Additionally, the National Land Use Policy-2069, which is aimed at boosting the land's productivity, has been announced. And by generating relevant data about land use for informed decision-making, organizations like ICIMOD are also assisting the government and the general public. The issue of water supply will be the focus of research during this spring semester in an effort to determine where difficulties occur and how monitoring with Earth Observation might help discover these concerns. This gives communities some assistance in anticipating, preparing for, or adjusting to the changing environment, such as by upgrading irrigation facilities.

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