Agriculture Minister Highlights Legal Reforms and Staffing as Priorities

Kathmandu. Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Gita Chaudhary, has stated that legal and policy reforms for the long-term solution of existing problems in the agriculture and forest sectors are the ministry's main priority. She said this while presenting the ministry's progress and future work plan in a meeting of the Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee under the House of Representatives. Minister Chaudhary informed that the ministry has given the highest priority to human-wildlife conflict management and the easy availability of chemical fertilizers. She mentioned that it is unfortunate that Nepal, despite being an agricultural country, does not have an 'Agriculture Act' yet, and stated that the draft of the agriculture bill has now reached the Ministry of Law and preparations are underway to bring it into process soon. Furthermore, she stated that the ministry is working on 13 new laws and procedures to amend the old laws related to the forest sector according to the current time and needs. Acknowledging that the shortage of forest guards adds challenges to conservation work, Minister Chaudhary said that the recruitment process for forest guards, which has been stalled for years, will be initiated this year. According to her, as only a small number of employees are currently working against a sanctioned strength of about 1100, preparations are being made for recruitment by creating a new procedure in coordination with the Ministry of Finance. Speaking about legal complexities and staff shortages, Minister Chaudhary said, 'There are still 13 laws to be enacted under our ministry. Despite wanting to do a lot, no decision or implementation is possible without completing the legal process. Therefore, timely enactment of necessary laws to accelerate development is the main need of today.' She described the lack of an agriculture act as a major legal vacuum in the country. She added, 'Although Nepal is called an agricultural country, an agriculture act to guide the entire agricultural sector has not been formed yet. Currently, the agriculture bill is in process at the Ministry of Law. Extensive discussions and coordination are being held with stakeholders, experts, and concerned bodies to make this act effective in the long run.'

• Cooperation and Filling Vacancies Among All Three Tiers of Government

Minister Chaudhary stated that cooperation among all three tiers of government will be strengthened to advance conservation and development in a balanced manner. Regarding filling vacant positions, she said, 'The lack of skilled manpower for forest conservation is another challenge. Conservation work has been affected due to the inability to recruit new forest guards for a long time. Therefore, by arranging the necessary budget this year, the recruitment process for forest guards will be advanced according to the new procedure.' She expressed confidence that this work will help in making forest conservation, human-wildlife conflict management, and rapid rescue operations more effective. The ministry claims to have adopted scientific methods to conserve the Chure region and prevent the desertification of the Terai, and she stated that conservation programs have been initiated by prioritizing 64 out of 164 river systems. Similarly, she clarified that a legal mechanism is being created in coordination with the Ministry of Land to solve the problems of citizens who have been living in forest areas for generations.