CEAPRED Collaborates with IFAD to Review and Revise the Nepal’s Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS)

On 30 July 2024, the Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) entered into a significant Contribution Agreement to conduct a midterm review and revision of Nepal’s Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) 2015-2035. This partnership was initiated at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) for IFAD’s support in the ADS review and revision process.

This collaboration will enable CEAPRED to perform a comprehensive evaluation of ADS, focusing on agribusiness, agricultural value chains and trade practices both domestically and for export. This strategic partnership strengthens the long-term collaboration between IFAD and CEAPRED, reinforcing their joint commitment in enhancing Nepal’s agricultural policies and advancing sustainable rural development through structured evidence-based policy formulation. The revised strategy will be robust, inclusive and responsive to the evolving needs of Nepal's agricultural sector. The assessment typically will involve:

• Comprehensive Analysis: CEAPRED will lead a detailed analysis of Nepal’s agribusinesses, value chains and trade dynamics. This will include evaluating current practices and identifying opportunities for improvement in both domestic and international contexts.
• Policy Recommendations: The findings of the assessment will inform the development of evidence-based recommendations aimed at refining the ADS to better support agricultural stakeholders, particularly smallholder farmers and the agribusinesses.

CEAPRED has engaged Mr. Pralad Kumar Thapa, a dedicated expert in agricultural development, market strategies and environmental sustainability to lead this assessment, Mr. Thapa holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of the Philippines and MS from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. His efforts in this assessment aims to produce evidence-based policy recommendations to refine the ADS, better address the needs of smallholder farmers, improve agricultural value chains and strengthen the overall agricultural ecosystem.