Geography

The kingdom of Nepal is a land-locked country between India and China. With fifteen peaks higher than 7,000 m, including the world’s highest peak Mount Everest at 8,848 m, Nepal is one of the highest countries in the world. The total land area is 1,47,180 Km². Physio graphically, the country can be divided into three parts: the high Himalayas in the north (24% of the country’s total area); the hill and mountain slopes in the centre (56%), which include the lower hills called Siwalik where elevations vary between 300 and 700 m; and the plain called ‘Terai’ in the south at elevations below 300 m (20%). This variation in agro-ecology suggests corresponding microclimates ranging from tropical to temperate regimes. Hence, the physiography provides opportunity for growing large number of agricultural commodities.

Population and land use

Nepal’s population which stands at 28.6 Million persons (Population Reference Bureau, 2019), is estimated to grow at the rate of 2.5% per annum exceeding the growth rate in food production. This is the prominent factor that has placed additional pressure on the country’s water resources. Population growth and urbanization will increase water demands, most notably for drinking water and sanitation. The present land use suggests that some 20% of the country’s land is under cultivation, about 7% further suitable for agriculture but not farmed yet. Forest land covers significant (42.8%) portion of the nation, and pasture about 12%. However, degraded forests and overgrazed pasture have aggravated the already deteriorating soil fertility impacting adversely on the quest for increase.

Climate and rainfall

Nepal has a monsoon type of climate. Additionally, the country experiences meso-thermal, micro-thermal, taiga and tundra types of climate. There are two rainy seasons: one in the summer (June to September), when the southwest monsoon brings more than 75% of the total rainfall, and the other in winter (December to February), accounting for less than 25% of the total. The total rainfall varies between 1,000 to 4,000 mm with an annual average of 1,814 mm. In Nepal, monsoon clouds bring torrential rainfall to the southern slope of the Himalayas, which causes landslides and flash floods in the middle hills and floods in the ‘Terai’ plains. Precipitation falls as snow at elevations above 5,100 m in summer and 3,000 m in winter. The temperature of Kathmandu, the capital, goes below 1^o C in winter and rises to an average of 25^o C in summer.

Food and agriculture

In general, macro policy in Nepal is favorable to the development of the agricultural sector. The major problem lies with the effective implementation. The country with surplus food two decades ago has gone a net importer these years. Increase in population has outpaced agricultural growth resulting in higher demand for food. The cultivable area is about 4 Mha, of which 34% in the ‘Terai’, 8% in the Siwalik, 48% in the mountain and hill region and 10% in the high Himalayas. In 2009, the total cultivated area was around 2.52 Mha, of which 95% (2.4 Mha) were for annual crops and 5% (120 000 ha) for permanent crops. Paddy, maize, wheat, barley and finger millet are the major food crops in Nepal. In terms of Hectares, paddy alone occupies 46% of the cropped area. Similarly, maize and wheat are the second and third important food crops, respectively. Millet and barley are the minor crops. Fruits, vegetables, potato, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses and tobacco are other non-cereal crops grown in the kingdom.

Water resources management

In Nepal, the water resources are regarded as the key strategic natural resource having the potential to be the catalyst for all round development and economic growth of the country. The surface water resources produced internally are estimated as 198.2 Km³/year. Chinese statistics mention an average outflow to Nepal of 12 Km³/year, which brings the total renewable water resources of Nepal to 210.2 Km³/year. It is assumed that all the renewable water resources of Nepal flow out of the country to India. In 2009, the total dam capacity was 85 million m³, although the potential exists for at least 138 Km³. The two main diversion barrages are the Kosi and Gandaki reservoirs. A good potential for groundwater extraction exists specially in the southern plains (Terai) and inner valleys of the hills and mountainous regions. The groundwater resource in the ‘Terai’ plains is grossly underutilized and needs legislative measures for its planned development and management. The Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) estimated the water use for irrigation with a total of 17,000 million m³ which is less than 8% of the country’s total water resource potential.

Irrigation and drainage

The total irrigable land of the country has been estimated to be 2.18 Mha, of which a net command of 1.1 Mha receive irrigation water supply. This includes both surface water and groundwater irrigation. Nepal has a long history of irrigated agriculture, mainly through farmer managed irrigation systems (FMIS). About 75% of the total irrigated area is under these FMIS, whereas the agency managed irrigation systems (AMIS) irrigate the remainder. One estimate suggests that about 200,000 ha of the irrigated area is under groundwater schemes, of which 75% is again under farmer managed shallow tubewell (STWs), and the remainder under agency managed deep tubewells (DTWs). About 37,000 STWs and 400 DTWs are installed in the ‘Terai’. It is to be noted that except one system (Banganga system with 6200 ha) all the areas under existing irrigation systems are dependent on transit flow availability at the sources, and therefore, the irrigated area varies from season to season and from region to region. The total year-round irrigated area including the farmers’ systems has been estimated to be only 418,000 ha. The irrigation efficiencies are around 30%, the crop productivities are stagnant or declining and the problem of system management has remained an issue.

Water policies

The vision of the future is that Nepal’s poverty can be eliminated by water resources development led through agricultural growth. Irrigation Policy No. 2060 was signed in 2003 with the purpose of obtaining year-round irrigation through the effective use of the country’s current water resources; developing institutional capacity of water users for the sustainable management of existing systems; and enhancing the knowledge, skills and institutional capacity of technicians, water users and non-governmental organizations working for the development of the irrigation sector. The National Water Plan (NWP), approved in 2005, was prepared to implement the Water Resources Strategy (WRS), which was approved in 2002. The broad objective of the NWP is to contribute to the overall national goals of economic development, poverty alleviation, food security, public health and safety, decent standards of living for the people and protection of the natural environment. Nepal’s vision in the promotion and development of irrigated agriculture is to initiate and retain the FMIS characteristics in government operated irrigation schemes as well. The Policy Dialogue Model (PODIUM) has been used to determine increasing water demand and the production of the required cereals in 2025 as a result of population growth and changing diets.

ICID and National Committee

Nepal joined the ICID in 1973 and established the Nepal National Committee, ICID (NENCID). The NENCID organized the 8^th Asian Regional Conference during 2-4 May 2018 at Kathmandu, Nepal. Er. Madhav Belbase was the Vice President of ICID during 2016-2019. Presently, Mr. Madhukar P. Rajbhandari is the President of NENCID and can be contacted at and/or