Sustainable Irrigation

Nepal is a landlocked country with a rich diversity of ethnicities and cultures. The country’s topography and ecology are highly varied, ranging from fertile plains in the south to mountains in the north. Nepal’s landmass falls under three ecological zones – the Terai (plains), the hills, and the mountains. Agriculture is central to the national economy. Nearly 80 percent of households (3.4 million) and 66 percent of the national labor force depend principally on the sector for their livelihoods. But urban-rural disparities are high, and over 80 percent of Nepal’s poor people live in rural areas. GDP in Nepal has grown more slowly than in any other country in South Asia– 5.4 percent in 2014, with an annual average of 4.43 percent between 2006 and 2014. As of 2014, the country had the lowest per capita GDP in South Asia (US$426 in constant 2005 US dollars), and the highest level of poverty, 25.2 percent of the population, based on the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day. This is unchanged from the 2011 poverty rate.   The country’s agriculture sector is a mix of crop and livestock farming. Although more than 70 percent of the workforce is involved in agriculture, the sector generates only around one-third of the country’s GDP. Nepal has strong potential for development. The different irrigation system has been developed such as surface, sprinkler, and drip for the development of agriculture sector for prompt incensement of the agricultural product. A manageable water system that permits the fundamental water needs of people that will secure the life of the people.

Some policies regarding irrigation plan

  • National Water Resources Strategy, 2002
  • National Water Plan, 2005 
  •  Irrigation Policy, 2013
  •  Water-induced Disaster Management Policy, 2015