The initiative will work with municipalities, cooperatives and farmer groups to expand climate-smart practices, digital advisory services and inclusive rural development in vulnerable areas.
Nepal, China and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations launched a 24-month project on Tuesday aimed at advancing climate-resilient agriculture and improving livelihoods, food security and nutrition in Nepal’s hill and mountain regions.
The “Strengthening Agrifood Systems in Nepal” project, identified as GCP/NEP/094/CPR, was developed at the request of the Government of Nepal and is funded through the Chinese government’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.
Gita Chaudhary, Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment, attended the launch as chief guest alongside Maoming Zhang, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal.
Other participants included Hua Yang, Director of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division and Deputy Director of Cabinet in the FAO Director-General’s Office, and Ken Shimizu, FAO Representative for Bhutan and Nepal.
Senior government officials, representatives of provincial and local governments, development partners, farmer organisations and other stakeholders also attended the ceremony.
Chaudhary expressed confidence that the project would contribute significantly to promoting climate-smart agriculture, strengthening food and nutrition security, improving market access and enhancing the capacity of local institutions.
She said the initiative would support Nepal’s national goals of food security, rural prosperity and sustainable development by helping build a more resilient, competitive and sustainable agrifood system while promoting inclusive agricultural growth.
The project seeks to support the transformation of Nepal’s agrifood systems by strengthening local institutions, expanding climate-smart agricultural practices, improving nutrition and environmental sustainability and promoting digital innovation and inclusive rural development.
Representatives of Nepal, China and FAO emphasised the importance of partnership, innovation and local leadership in developing resilient agrifood systems capable of responding to climate risks, increasing agricultural productivity and creating better livelihood opportunities for rural communities.
Hua highlighted FAO’s “Four Betters” vision of better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.
She said strong national ownership was fundamental to achieving sustainable growth in agrifood systems and stressed the importance of partnerships in turning shared commitments into tangible results for farmers who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Hua expressed hope that the initiative would become a model for South-South Cooperation in Asia and beyond, saying collaborative projects of this kind could deliver meaningful and lasting results at the local level.
Nepal’s agriculture sector faces several interconnected challenges, including climate change, falling productivity in vulnerable areas, labour shortages linked to youth migration, limited access to markets and services and growing pressure on local governments to provide effective agricultural support.
The problems are particularly acute in hill and mountain regions, where communities often contend with geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, fragile natural resources and restricted livelihood opportunities.
Zhang reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Nepal’s agrifood transformation through the project funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, building on the two countries’ longstanding agricultural partnership.
He highlighted the importance of South-South Cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building and knowledge exchange, saying the initiative would help improve agricultural productivity, resilience and food security.
Zhang also expressed confidence that the project would contribute to Nepal’s agricultural modernisation and support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The project aims to address the challenges facing rural agriculture by strengthening the capacity of municipalities, cooperatives, farmer groups, extension service providers and local institutions.
It will support agrifood systems planning, climate-resilient agriculture, governance, financial management, agribusiness development, market linkages and social inclusion.
The measures are expected to improve local service delivery while creating sustainable and market-oriented opportunities for rural households.
Implementation will focus on Mandandeupur and Panchkhal municipalities in Kavrepalanchok District, as well as Rong Rural Municipality and Ilam Municipality in Ilam District.
Integrated interventions in the project areas will seek to increase agricultural productivity, diversify livelihoods, strengthen food and nutrition security and improve community resilience.
The project will also promote access to safe drinking water, better management of natural resources and more inclusive participation by women, young people and marginalised communities in local agrifood systems.
A central component of the initiative will be the promotion of digital agricultural extension services.
Digital platforms and improved advisory systems will help farmers obtain timely technical guidance, weather information, financial services, agricultural insurance and market information.
By expanding access to knowledge, technology and services, the project aims to reduce climate-related risks, improve the competitiveness of smallholder farmers and support better-informed decision-making at the local level.
Shimizu said the initiative reflected the shared commitment of Nepal, China and FAO to advancing more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems through partnership, innovation and locally driven solutions that leave no one behind.
The project also reflects the growing role of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in advancing sustainable development.
Through the partnership, Nepal will benefit from technical knowledge, development cooperation and international experience to support locally led transformation of its agrifood systems.
The collaboration demonstrates the shared commitment of Nepal, China and FAO to promoting resilient, inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.
Hari Bahadur K.C., Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, presented an overview of the project on behalf of the government.
He highlighted efforts to help farmers improve production, strengthen local systems and create better opportunities for rural communities.
The initiative is aligned with Nepal’s national priorities on food security, climate adaptation, local governance, rural development and sustainable management of natural resources.
It also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals by supporting more inclusive, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable agrifood systems.
Through the project’s launch, Nepal, China and FAO reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening local capacity, promoting innovation and helping rural communities build more resilient livelihoods.
The partnership is expected to contribute to Nepal’s wider agricultural transformation by improving food and nutrition security, strengthening community resilience and supporting sustainable development in vulnerable hill and mountain regions.
