Thursday, July 3, 2025

Nepal seeks climate finance for mountain agriculture

Kathmandu, July 1

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has urged the international community to support sustainable agricultural systems and provide climate financing for mountainous regions in countries like Nepal.

In her address to the 44th session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) held in Rome on Monday, she urged for grant-based international climate financing to be ensured for Nepal, which is severely affected by climate change, particularly its Himalayan regions.

“Nepal and similar countries in the Himalayan regions are the most affected by the climate crisis. However, these areas have been largely neglected in climate financing and adaptation efforts," she said stressing that all stakeholders pay due attention to this issue.

Stating that agriculture held high importance for Nepal, FM Dr. Rana informed that the sector contributes around 23 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and nearly a two-thirds of the population depend on it for their livelihood. She underlined the crucial role agriculture plays in food security, nutrition, poverty alleviation, and rural development.

She pointed out that the goal of achieving a hunger-free world by 2030 remains unmet and that global crisis such as the pandemic, climate emergency, economic instability, and geopolitical tensions are threatening the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Foreign Minister emphasised that promoting sustainable and resilient mountain agriculture is essential not just for livelihoods but also for preserving global biodiversity, ensuring food security, and maintaining ecological balance.

Expressing Nepal’s willingness to expand successful and innovative agricultural practices through the ‘Four Betters’ approach, FM Dr. Rana said, “We are seeking collaboration to enhance farmers’ access to early warning systems. In the face of rising climate risks, we look forward to stronger cooperation with the FAO for promoting sustainable mountain agriculture."

Likewise, Nepal expects the sharing of knowledge and experiences on successful practices to increase the participation and leadership of women and youth, she said.

Meanwhile, speaking at a high-session on agriculture and food system – held as a part of the session, FM Dr. Rana invited international investors and multinational companies to invest directly in Nepal's agricultural sector.

Inviting global investors to benefit from Nepal’s unique and indigenous agricultural products by investing in the sector, she said, “Due to insufficient large-scale investment and lack of modernisation, Nepal has not been able to export agricultural products at scale despite significant potential. We are in urgent need of substantial foreign investment in this area.”

Dr. Rana, who also served as a chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources, noted that agriculture in Nepal is still viewed as a low-status occupation, and this perception has hindered the development and modernisation of the sector. Without upgrading agriculture and aligning it with modern times, the country has failed to transform it into an export-oriented industry.

Despite Nepal’s challenging topography with 83 per cent of the country being mountainous or hilly with highly fragmented land, agriculture has long been tied to economic self-reliance and poverty reduction.

She also expressed concern over the increasing negative impacts of climate change on agriculture, calling it a serious issue for Nepal. With many men and young people absent from villages, crop damage from wild animals has become more frequent, leading to hardships for farmers and growing human-wildlife conflict, said Dr. Rana.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 July 2025.   

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