Yumiko Asakuma, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Nepal, and government officials from Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation signed Record of Discussions on Technical Cooperation Project: Support for the promotion of irrigated agriculture in Terai.

According to a press release issued by JICA, the implementation period of the project is for 5 years (March 2019 to March 2024) and the Executing agency is Department of Water Resources and Irrigation (DWRI), Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MOEWRI). The project will mainly focus on the Kankai Irrigation system based in Jhapa.

The project aims to improve water management and irrigation facilities’ maintenance by the collaboration between government of Nepal and Water Users Associations, and promote irrigated farming focusing on market-oriented agriculture.

The agreed project is expected to stabilize the food supply throughout Nepal in a long run and strengthen competitiveness of farming that will lead economic growth of the country through replication of better irrigation agriculture model in other potential irrigated area, which will be developed by the project.