Accord Priority To Agriculture Sector

There is no doubt that Nepal is an agro-based country. There are hundreds of thousands of people, who not only depend on agriculture for making an income, but also in providing day-to-day staple diet for their families and for themselves to make ends meet. Forget the whole country, but there was a time when even the presently crowded Kathmandu was self-sufficient in basic products like rice, wheat and vegetables. In fact the vegetable products of Kathmandu were taken as a huge delicacy even in the Terai area, considered the food belt of the country and some vegetables were also exported to India.

But now, the tables have turned around and the denizens of Kathmandu have to depend on the imported vegetables from India or China. But they are nowhere in comparison to the vegetables grown in Kathmandu, which old timers here thrived on. It is not only due to the exodus of young workers who have opted to go abroad, but also due to the migration of hundreds of thousands of people who have deserted their villages to come and live here in the capital city. This is not surprising as most facilities that every citizen of the country requires are mostly based here, especially health facilities, educational facilities, job opportunities and also connectivity with other nations of the world.

Manpower 

There is no doubt that every Nepali citizen has the right to live in whichever place he or she prefers to live in, but in Kathmandu, it has meant the destruction of the once green fields and also wet lands which made this city a unique part of the country. As we have touched the significance of agriculture in the country, it would not be out of place to also talk about the much needed manpower to make the agriculture sector a strong base. Not only in Kathmandu, where the lush fields have been turned into housing areas, but in many other parts of the country as well, where like mentioned above, many people depended on agriculture to take care of their daily needs, whether in the kitchen or in giving them some sort of an income.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said that the government was focused on increasing production and creating employment by developing the agriculture sector. Prime Minister Prachanda revealed that he had studied steps for mechanised agriculture and increased productivity in the agriculture sector during his visits to China and India. He also informed that both the countries had expressed their commitment for the development of agriculture in Nepal. These are all good signs which will benefit Nepal in the long run. 

Meanwhile, there is definitely a link between the able-bodied people leaving the country in hordes and at the same time seeing a slump the nation is witnessing in agricultural products. It is not only the shrinking of the fertile land in Kathmandu and other places, but it is also due to both internal migration and those who are seeking better opportunities as well. The fragrant leafy vegetables, equally tasty cucumbers and radishes, besides of course the staple diet of the majority of Nepali people, rice, is a thing of the past now. Now we are seeing the import of poor quality vegetables and also fruits, which we considered healthy food before. Most of the green vegetables and fruits are treated by pesticides which are harmful to the body. 

There are even complaints that green vegetables have been treated through chemical means, as have been fruits, to make them better looking or better tasting, which definitely harms people who consume them. If one goes many decades back in Nepal, it would not be harmful to even just pluck out any green vegetables and eat them raw. They were delicious, they had their own taste and fragrance and they were healthy. But like said before, those days have gone not only due to the shrinking of the fertile lands, but also the massive use of harmful pesticides and other chemicals to make food only look better while it has no nutrient. 

The worst part is not only missing the delicious tastes of all these food items of the past, but at the same time being aware that we are eating dangerous food, all in the name of taking care of our health. Once more to go to the past, there was time when people said you had to be severely sick before you could afford to eat fruits. Luckily these days, fruit vendors are seen in every corner of the city. But sadly, whether the fruits are actually good for your body or not, it is difficult to say. Many experts have commented that artificially grown fruits and the methods used in making them look nice, are actually harmful for any person, forget a person with some sort of ailment.

Backbone 

But again we have to come back to the issue of how the country can make agriculture a major backbone for hundreds of thousands of people to, if not make gains, then at least to survive. Here, it would not be out of context to say that even those involved in cultivating cash crops, are in dire straits. For example the sugarcane farmers who are suffering because they are not getting enough pay for their produce. It is the same with individuals in the hilly areas growing different fruits and also those who try to make a living by selling milk. These are the problems which the government must address in haste. 

Besides sound policies, plans to make agriculture a major source of income would keep many youths back in the country. Providing employment to the citizens, giving them more opportunities and making a leap forward in once again enhancing the agriculture sector would be as important as making much progress in generating more electricity, even for export and promoting tourism, as these all are the pillars which will keep intact the country's economy and also contribute distinctly in maintaining its sovereignty.   

(The author is former chief editor of this daily.)