Irrigation for rural development

Small-scale farmers can diversify their crops and improve yields through better irrigation.

The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Nepal, serving as the primary source of income for approximately 66 percent of the population and contributing to around 23.95 percent of the country’s overall gross domestic product. However, prevailing poverty demands strategic solutions and irrigation techniques, particularly those aligned with the sustainable intensification of mixed farming systems (SI-MFS), an important tool for promoting sustainable water resource utilisation. Irrigation holds immense potential to increase agricultural acreage and productivity, enabling multiple cropping and protecting farmers from erratic rainfall. Its role in ensuring food security, rural development and poverty alleviation cannot be overstated.