Cooperative Movement
NEPAL is an agricultural country with more than 80 per cent
people relying on cultivation for their survival. In fact, agriculture is the mainstay of
Nepal’s economy as it occupies almost two-thirds of the country’s gross domestic
products. The agro-products also have lion’s share in Nepal’s export business.
In view of this, His Majesty’s Government has accorded high priority to the
development of agriculture for poverty alleviation and uplift of people’s overall
social and economic condition. However, Nepal’s agricultural sector has not made
desirable progress. Nepal once used to be a net food grain exporter country. Now it has
become food importer nation. This is party due to rapid population growth and due mainly
to low growth in the agriculture sector. Our farming system is still traditional. Nepali
farmers have not fully adopted the modern technique of farming. One more factor leading to
low growth is the lack of irrigation facilities. A large number of farmers still depend on
rainwater for irrigating their crops. Farmers have little knowledge of modern method,
equipment and improved seeds and fertilizer. Similarly, farmers have little access to
market for their products. As a result, productivity in the agricultural sector has not
been very satisfactory. But things have now changed. The government has invested a lot on
irrigation, agricultural research and dissemination of information to farmers. At the same
time, efforts have been made to create market access for the agro goods. Until a couple of
decades ago, cash crop was almost nil in Nepal. Now farmers have started to grow cash
crops, which have really improved the income and life style of farmers. The cooperative
movement is another way to organise farmers and encourage them for modernisation of
farming system. The cooperative movement has been popular among farmers. The movement has
not only organised farmers but also developed their capability at the local and grassroots
level. Against this background, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and
Cooperatives Badri Prasad Mandal, inaugurating the 46th national cooperative day in
Kathmandu the other, clearly spoke of the government commitment to consolidate the
cooperative movement in the country. As majority of Nepali farmers are poor and have low
income, cooperative movement really helps in generating fund and sharing information for
the development of farmers and other economically downtrodden people at the local level.
The cooperative movement should be further developed and strengthened at the best interest
of the people at the lower strata of the society. For this, as said by Deputy Prime
Minister, an effective coordination must be developed between the government and
cooperative agencies.
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