The introduction of riverbed farming (RBF) in eastern Nepal has not only brought financial stability, but also significantly reduced the number of people seeking work abroad in Jhapa and Morang districts of Koshi province.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 26, 2024
Renowned for his populist rhetoric, K.P. Sharma Oli, the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), is embarking on his fourth term as prime minister, leading a cabinet of 21 members from a coalition of four political parties. Positioned between the two major regional powers of Asia, India and China, Oli faces a challenging task in navigating the diplomatic relations with his neighboring countries. Similarly, he is confronted with a complex situation in managing the Nepali Congress, his competitive party and coalition partner, which presents a daunting and intricate situation. His initial visible challenge is to establish trust with India, particularly its southern neighbor, and with the Nepali Congress, his new ally and longstanding rival. Regardless of political claims, the countdown to the start of this government has already begun, as all previous governments in Nepal have.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 21, 2024
The introduction of River Bed Farming (RbF) by Helvetas-Nepal has been a pivotal moment in improving the nutritional well-being of the children, pregnant women, and the elderly of backward, poor and under privileged communisis living in Madhesh, Koshi and Sudur Paschim Provinces . This innovative farming technique has not only provided a means for supplemental income but has also become a vital source of nutrition and food security for the community.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 18, 2024
Throughout her career, Dr. Shilu Manandhar Bajracharya, who has served as a distinguished professor of Management at Tribhuwan University for her entire tenure, has shown that commitment and a collaborative approach can significantly alter circumstances. For over four years, she served as the dean of the Management and Law Faculty before being appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Nepal Open University (NOU) two years ago. She has discussed the university's progress towards modernity, her dedication to the university's long-term growth, and the development of its human resources to ensure NOC becomes a leading, sustainable higher education institution. As vice chancellor, Dr. Bajracharya has emphasized the importance of online education for future crisis management, such as during pandemics like COVID-19. Throughout her career, Dr. Bajracharya has exemplified herself as a role model and a distinguished individual. As the first female vice chancellor of NOU and the second female vice chancellor in Nepal, she has shared insights into the university's progress and her vision for its future with New Spotlight.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 15, 2024
There is a general agreement among government officials, the private sector, and Nepal's development partners on the importance of increasing the share of solar power in the country's electricity mix. However, there are differing opinions, especially regarding the solar power tariff cap.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 12, 2024
In the underprivileged, landless, and land-poor areas of the Terai region in Nepal, the impact of Riverbed Farming (RbF) in empowering women is evident. Hundreds of women have risen from socio-economic disadvantages to become leaders within their communities, thanks to the support and empowerment provided by RbF.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 10, 2024
Due to shifts in climate, leading to heightened rainfall, there has been an increase in the frequency of floods and soil erosion in the Rautahat district of Madhesh Province. In collaboration with Helvetas-Nepal, and in partnership with the Friends of Change in Nepal, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has been working to enhance the resilience and adaptive abilities of farmers, thereby improving their annual incomes and reducing erosion in the flood-prone areas of the Bagmati and Lalbakiya Rivers.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 08, 2024
For generations, impoverished and overlooked communities situated on the banks of the Kankai River in the ward 6 of Kankai Municipality, located 600 kilometers southeast of the capital city, Nepal, have endured constant turmoil and destruction from the river. However, with the introduction of the River Bed Farming (RbF) project by Helvetas Nepal in 2016, the rich soil, sand, and water from the annual flood of the Kankai River have played a significant role in uplifting the lives of these communities, moving them from poverty to wealth, and filling their lives with joy and contentment. The RbF program, spearheaded by Helvetas Nepal in collaboration with local NGOs such as Forward and the district governments, has effectively shown how the unused flood-prone banks of rivers, which mainly stem from the northern high hills, can be utilized to not only alleviate suffering but also to foster prosperity and happiness within rural communities. These communities, which have been plagued by the yearly devastation caused by the Kankai River, have managed to transform the disaster into a stepping stone towards prosperity.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 05, 2024
The decrease in Nepal's LPG imports can be attributed to the enhancement of electricity supply. The recent commissioning of the 400 kV Inaruwa-Dhalkebar transmission line by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), along with the ongoing progress in the Dhalkebar-Hetauda section, is set to improve the overall power supply quality in the nation. Consequently, the import of LPG, which began two years ago, is anticipated to witness a further decline in the upcoming year.
By Keshab Poudel Jul 02, 2024
Implemented jointly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supply (MOICS), technical skill training provided by Helvetas-Nepal, a partner of the Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (RERPP) Samriddhi, has demonstrated that equipping returnee migrants with skills can successfully facilitate their reintegration. Under the Decent Job initiative, Helvetas-Nepal offers Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), integrating three key skill areas. Annually, around 500,000 Nepalese return home seeking employment, and TVET under the Decent Job initiative offers a viable solution for their integration.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 26, 2024
Ensuring financial inclusion is essential to reduce poverty and inequality and achieve prosperity. The Rural Enterprises and Remittance Project (RERP) Samriddhi, jointly implemented by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS), has demonstrated this by increasing access to the financial sector for poor and marginalized communities, women, returnee migrants, and migrant families. These groups contribute significantly to overall prosperity. Under the Financial Education and Entrepreneurial Knowledge (FEEK) program, which includes FEEK-1 and FEEK-2, the project had conducted numerous training sessions aimed at promoting financial inclusion and increasing access to finance in targeted areas. Dhangadhimai Sana Kisan Krishi Sahakari Sanstha Ltd, a beneficiary of the project from the Siraha District of Madhesh Province, has become an exemplary cooperative by implementing policies that enhance financial inclusion and expand access to finance.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 24, 2024
Established with the support from the Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (RERP) SAMRIDDHI—a collaborative initiative by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS), in partnership with local governments (Palikas)—the Migration Resource Center (MRC) and Migration Information Desk (MID) are now integral parts of several local governments. As the Samriddhi Project nears its closure, Dhankuta Municipality in Koshi Province has successfully integrated the MRC into its structural framework, serving as a sustainability model for MRCs. Dhankuta Municipality has distinguished itself as the first municipality in Nepal to adopt a migration and reintegration policy. This initiative is now being followed by other municipalities across the Koshi and Madhesh Provinces as the RERP project reaches its final stages.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 21, 2024
Desperate for employment, over 700,00 young people are migrating to different parts of the world. Additionally, over 500,000 youths are returning to Nepal after working abroad for a certain period. Nepal is now focusing on reintegrating these returnees, utilizing their savings, and providing employment opportunities within the country. Implemented jointly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply (MoICS), the Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (RERP) Samriddhi has demonstrated that youth can earn a decent income back home. The mass movement of youth has created a scarcity of agricultural laborers in rural areas, negatively impacting agricultural production. However, a group of 27 youths in Arundada, Bardibas Municipality Ward 10 of Mahottari district, has shown a successful venture, preventing youth from migrating abroad and integrating returning migrants into the local agricultural economy.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 20, 2024
The Rural Enterprise and Remittance Project (RERP) SAMRIDDHI, a collaborative initiative by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supply (MoICS), has significantly impacted the lives of women from underprivileged and marginalized communities across 16 districts in the Koshi, Madhesh, and Bagmati provinces. SAMRIDDHI focuses on equipping women with technical skills and financial literacy, enabling them to enhance their economic conditions. These skills not only improve their livelihoods but also empower them to make informed decisions regarding the use of remittances sent by their migrant worker spouses.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 17, 2024
With technical skills, knowledge, and grant support for purchasing tunnels, seeds, and fertilizers provided by the Rural Enterprise and Remittance Project (RERP) SAMRIDDHI, a joint initiative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supply (MoICS), returnee migrants from Urleni, Ward 14 of Diktel-Rupakot-Majuwagadhi Municipality in the Khotang district are transforming their living standards. With women taking on leadership roles, these returnees are now earning more income than they did in foreign employment. At a time when the Nepalese government is seeking ways to reintegrate returnee migrants into society, the lessons learned from RERP in Khotang offer a viable solution. Migrants, who had left Nepal with a bleak future and subsistence-based agricultural practices, are now benefiting from RERP’s on-farm program. Implemented in the Koshi, Madhesh, and Bagmati provinces, this program demonstrates how the commercialization of agriculture can reintegrate returnees, enhancing their income and living standards.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 16, 2024
The completion of the Inaruwa-Dhalkebar Transmission Line at 400 kV is a significant achievement for the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). Under the leadership of Managing Director Kul Man Ghising, the NEA team has worked diligently to bring this project to fruition, marking a momentous milestone in Nepal's electricity history. With the establishment of key substations, including the 400 kV substation in Hetauda, MD Ghising's leadership has once again proven successful with the completion of this transmission line project.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 14, 2024
Amidst a widespread liquidity crisis impacting many cooperatives due to high withdrawals and bad loans, three cooperatives operated by returning migrants with majority women members have demonstrated resilience and success. Supported by the Rural Enterprises and Remittances (RERP) SAMRIDDHI Project—a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supply (MoICS) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—these cooperatives have thrived under challenging conditions. The Financial Education and Entrepreneurial Knowledge (FEEK) component of the SAMRIDDHI Project has played a pivotal role. Through comprehensive training and institutional support, FEEK has significantly enhanced the capacity of cooperative employees and management. This support has helped institutionalize processes for delivering remittance-based savings and loans to women from poor and vulnerable communities and returnee migrants. As the RERP nears completion, the FEEK initiative has demonstrated how small interventions can lead to substantial improvements in cooperative operations and the livelihoods of poor women, marginalized communities, and migrant workers across 148 Palikas in 16 districts of Koshi, Madhesh, and Bagmati Provinces.
By Keshab Poudel Jun 12, 2024
The commissioning of the Trishuli 3B Substation, despite facing delays, marks a significant milestone in the supply of clean and green energy. This substation will play a crucial role in evacuating the green electricity generated in the Trishuli area, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels and helping Nepal achieve its goal of zero emissions by 2045.
By Keshab Poudel May 30, 2024