Only 63% of Nepal's farmland has irrigation as delayed monsoon disrupts paddy planting
Summary
Nearly 40% of Nepal's farmland lacks irrigation facilities as delayed monsoon rains disrupt paddy transplantation across the country, threatening rice production.
Key Points
- Only 62.68% of Nepal's 2.53 million hectares of irrigable farmland currently has irrigation facilities.
- Delayed monsoon rains have slowed paddy transplantation, with seedlings drying up due to inadequate rainfall.
- Irrigation infrastructure expansion is lagging, with only 4,048 hectares added out of the targeted 6,750 hectares this fiscal year.
- Experts emphasize that expanding irrigation is critical for boosting food production and reducing climate-related risks in Nepal.
