By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 11: The European Union (EU) has disbursed Rs. 1.09 billion to Nepal for Agriculture and Rural Support Programme and approved to disburse Rs. 7.09 billion for Education Sector Budget Support Programme.
It has handed over Rs. 1.09 billion to the ARSP out of Rs. 1.25 billion planned for the programme.
The money covers the progress made during fiscal year 2017/18. The programme aims three disbursements of Rs. 4.5 billion.
Likewise, Rs. 7.09 billion is the second of five disbursements planned under the on-going education sector programme which also covers the progress made during FY 2017/18.
EU Ambassador to Nepal Veronica Cody congratulated the agencies for the results achieved in the agriculture and education sectors. She particularly appreciated results achieved in the education sector during the time of transition to the federal structure.
“Agriculture services have been extended since the launch of Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), export earnings have been raised and irrigation and rural connectivity have progressed,” she said.
In addition, reforms of the legal framework for land management and agribusiness activities, including agriculture markets, are underway.
Accountability measures have also been strengthened with the establishment of annual cost plans and a monitoring framework, said Cody.
According to the EU, Nepal has fulfilled most of the policy commitments agreed with the EU for the release of the first disbursement under the programme, as evidenced by the increase in the total value of processed dairy products from Rs. 18.9 billion in 2014/15 to Rs. 27.1 billion in 2017/18.
Similarly, 994 agriculture and livestock technicians were deployed to local governments during the year 2017/18. Moreover, progress on the legislative area is also underway, with a new bill on land management, and the preparation of a new bill on agribusiness promotion.
“These are important accomplishments for agriculture sector in Nepal at a time when the country is transitioning to a federal form of governance,” said Cody.
She also noted progress in access, gender parity, efficiency, governance and management of the education sector.
“This progress now needs to be translated into improved and equitable learning outcomes and support is needed to build local capacity to deal with the new context,” she said.
Net enrolment rate for basic education (class1-8) has risen from 89.4 per cent in 2015/16 to 92.3 per cent in 2017/18.
Similarly, the share of students repeating classes continues to decline as shown by an increase in the grade 8 survival rate from 75.9 per cent to 77.4 per cent.