Government Announces New Measures for Technology and Administrative Reforms in Agriculture

The government has introduced new programs focused on technological and administrative reforms in the agricultural sector for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84. For the first time, the policy includes a package-based production system and aims to accelerate agricultural modernization through agritech. The plan for chemical fertilizer factories has been removed, prioritizing organic fertilizers instead, and arrangements will be made to directly transfer payments to farmers’ bank accounts. May 28, Kathmandu.

Through the policy and program for fiscal year 2083/84, the government has unveiled new initiatives concentrating on ‘technology’ and ‘administrative reforms’ in agriculture. Although President Ramchandra Paudel presented ambitious goals—such as reintegrating youth returning from foreign employment by engaging them in agriculture and boosting productivity with agritech—the core focus remains on many existing programs. Despite declaring the current fiscal year as the ‘decade of investment in agriculture,’ several strategically significant projects, such as the fertilizer factory, have been excluded from the policy this time.

The government has emphasized a new strategy for increasing agricultural production: the ‘package-based production system,’ which is being introduced for the first time and was not present in previous policies. In alignment with adopting modern technology, the government has committed to accelerating agricultural modernization through agritech. To address the issue of youth migration, policy point number 14 states that, “Specialized production zones will be developed to attract manpower returning from foreign employment into agricultural enterprises.”

Two major announcements for farmers this year include direct payments to bank accounts and the introduction of a ‘Farmer Credit Card’ scheme. Despite receiving support prices, farmers have often faced complications with payments; the government pledges to digitalize the support price implementation and payment system so that funds will be transferred directly into farmers’ bank accounts. Additionally, for the first time, a new scheme offering concessional finance through the Farmer Credit Card and identification card system will enhance farmers’ access to financial services.