Agriculture Sector's Disaster Losses Often Overlooked
Summary
Nepal’s disaster response continues to prioritize human rescue and infrastructure, while agricultural and livestock losses remain undercounted and overlooked. Officials say the Ministry of Agriculture relies on the NDRRMA for damage data and lacks a separate budget for immediate relief to farmers.
Key Points
- Natural disasters in Nepal routinely cause major losses to crops and livestock, but those damages are often not properly recorded or prioritized in relief efforts.
- Dr. Maniratna Aryal says the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority is responsible for collecting and publishing damage data, while the agriculture ministry only provides technical support.
- The ministry says it has no separate budget for direct disaster relief and must route assistance through the NDRRMA, provinces, and local governments.
- Officials say federalism has broken the old agricultural reporting chain, making rapid damage assessment and response more difficult.
