Nepal’s agricultural future hinges on its rich agrobiodiversity, which is crucial for climate resilience and food security, yet faces significant threats from the widespread adoption of uniform crop varieties and reliance on external genetic material. This diversity, encompassing crops, livestock, forages, agro-insects, microorganisms, and aquatic species, is spread across Nepal’s extraordinary ecological range and, according to Online Khabar, accounts for nearly 28 percent of the country’s total biological diversity.
According to an Online Khabar report from Magh 1, 2079 BS, an estimated 40 percent of crop landraces and 50 percent of overall agrobiodiversity in Nepal have already been lost. The country’s agricultural research and development system remains heavily reliant on external genetic material, with an estimated 95 percent of germplasm sourced from outside. This uniformity makes farming systems vulnerable to changing conditions like drought, floods, new pests, and diseases. Experts advocate for “conservation through use,” emphasizing that local varieties must remain part of living agricultural systems, grown by farmers, sold in markets, and passed to future generations, rather than solely stored in seed banks.
Government Initiatives and Policies
Nepal’s constitution of 2072 BS incorporates biodiversity into state policy, with provisions across federal, provincial, and local government levels. The National Agrobiodiversity Policy 2063 BS (first amended 2071 BS) is in effect, and Nepal is a signatory to international agreements including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Nagoya Protocol, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). The National Gene Bank was established in 2067 BS under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), the apex body for national agricultural research. The Crop Development and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Centre, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, provided Rs 50 million in grants to farmers in 70 local levels by July 15, 2026, to conserve endangered local crops. Nepal has observed National Agrobiodiversity Year since 2079 BS, with the current year (2082/83 BS) celebrated from Magh 1 to 7 with the slogan “Agrobiodiversity our invaluable heritage, conservation and sustainable use our commitment.”
Future Steps and Persistent Challenges
Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Geeta Chaudhary is preparing an agriculture bill and organic fertilizer procedures, as of October 1, 2026. Minister Chaudhary has also formed a five-member task force to investigate agricultural and livestock subsidies disbursed since fiscal year 2072/73 BS, with a six-month deadline for a detailed report. The Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, launched a special underground water irrigation program on October 3, 2026, prioritizing youth farmers returning from foreign employment for agricultural entrepreneurship. Shadananda Municipality plans to expand its seed bank to promote local crops, branding, and value addition, aiming to increase farmer income, as of May 17, 2026. Despite these efforts, concerns remain that farmers continue to migrate, agriculture is heavily reliant on chemicals and pesticides, and past subsidy programs have been criticized for not reaching marginalized farmers and lacking effective monitoring. Farmers are also increasingly worried about growing pest and disease problems in paddy fields, reported on October 3, 2026.
