Groundwater is a crucial component for sustaining water resources, especially in countries like Nepal, where surface water availability can be seasonally variable. However, groundwater assessment in Nepal is still in its early stages, marked by a lack of comprehensive data on groundwater levels, recharge rates, and aquifer capacities. This knowledge gap poses challenges in effectively managing groundwater resources, with an increasing reliance due to the unpredictability of surface water sources, particularly for irrigation and drinking water in both rural and urban areas.

Groundwater for food security

March 22, 2020 10:34 am

Nepal exports agricultural commodities worth USD 200 million each year, and imports produce worth about five times as much. While nearly 70 percent of Nepal’s total imports of agricultural commodities—cereals, vegetables, and fruits—come from India, this has not always been the case. Until the 1980s, Nepal was a net exporter of agricultural commodities. Even today, if agricultural land in the Tarai plains—known popularly as the granary of Nepal—is optimally utilized, the country’s agricultural production can increase manifold to offset the current trade deficit. About 600,000 hectares (ha) of irrigable land in the Tarai are unirrigated and completely dependent on rainfall. If Nepal uses its groundwater resources to irrigate these lands, it will help bolster food security and lead to socio-economic benefits for the country.