Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy, Research, Capacity and Influence

INTRODUCTION

The Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) (2015-2035) is the major initiative of the Government of Nepal (GoN). It is the follow-up document of the 20-year-long Agricultural Perspective Plan (APP) (1995-2015), aimed at developing the overall agricultural sector, with spending estimated at nearly NPR 510 billion. The ADS was endorsed with five dimensions such as increased food and nutrition security, poverty reduction, competitiveness, higher and more equitable income for rural households, and strengthened farmers’ rights. This strategy emphasizes agricultural transformation by providing services to the communities that depend on agriculture, which is expected to transfer their skills to industrial sectors and generate greater income (Paudel et al., 2016).

ADS has analyzed the causes contributing to the failure of APP, identification of targets, and indicators for the quantification of the attainment of the identified targets. It is hoped to be a milestone in transforming the spectrum from subsistence to commercialization. It was introduced at a crucial time when the country was ready to come up with a new federal transformation.

ADS is a living strategy, and through continuous monitoring and review, it is expected to continuously evolve and improve. Hence, this scoping will support the government in the revision plan of ADS review from ministry level soon. It also aims to analyze the prospective challenges of ADS, followed by its execution.

The monitoring and evaluation plan of ADS clearly stated a review would be done over a five-year period. However, due to various external and internal factors, the target has not been accomplished due to the structural reformation that occurred in 2015 and COVID-19 lockdown. Hence, this scoping study is carried out with the goal of assessing ADS’s achievements.

This study aims to illustrate the achievements and progress of ADS in five years and the corresponding strategy government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) has been adopting in the country’s new federal system. Whether the three-tiered governments are adopting ADS or not; what their challenges are, and what progress has been made.

This research report is expected to be substantial for other ministries, such as the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), and the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoLMAC), among others. The research tracking progress is likely to contribute to policy gaps as well as be useful in potential policy formulation in agricultural transition.