Kathmandu: Paddy cultivation in Madhes Province, Nepal’s key agricultural region, has been severely disrupted due to a poor monsoon, prompting the federal government to declare the province a disaster-hit area for three months on the recommendation of the provincial government.

Paddy Sowing Crisis
As of Shrawan 4, only 47% of the targeted paddy sowing has been completed in Madhes, compared to 80.6% during the same period last year. The province cultivates paddy on 372,645 hectares, but this year’s delay is raising fears of a 15–20% drop in production, according to Dr. Mathura Yadav, coordinator of the National Rice Research Program.

Nationally, paddy sowing has reached 72.14%, a significant drop from 84.6% at the same time last year, as per the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

Dr. Saroj Chaudhary, spokesperson for the Madhes Agriculture Ministry, stated that rice seeds are burning and fields are drying up due to lack of rain and inadequate irrigation. “In many areas, planting hasn’t even reached half a percent,” he warned.

Impact on National Food Security
Madhes contributes significantly to Nepal’s food production. The province accounts for 16.25% of Nepal’s total cultivated land and 35.02% of Madhes’ GDP comes from agriculture. The region has 542,580 hectares of cultivable land, of which 502,224 hectares are under cultivation.

According to the Agriculture and Livestock Diary 2081, agriculture contributes 24.1% to the national GDP and employs 50.4% of the population.

Rainfall and Irrigation Deficits
According to the Department of Water and Meteorology, Nepal has received just 34.9% of its average monsoon rainfall so far. Madhes is especially hard hit, with Janakpur receiving only 20% of its average monsoon rainfall.

Out of 2.53 million hectares of irrigable land in Nepal, only 1.5 million hectares have irrigation systems, and year-round irrigation is available on only a third of that land. In Madhes, only 49% of cultivable land is irrigated, mainly through rivers, canals, and borewells.

Dr. Chaudhary stressed that unless irrigation infrastructure is prioritized, Madhes — Nepal’s grain basket — will continue to face similar crises.

Forecast and Government Response
Meteorologist David Dhakal said weakening monsoon winds have caused reduced rainfall, although heavier rain is expected next week, which could provide some relief.

The Department of Agriculture is currently conducting field monitoring in Madhes to assess damage. A committee formed by the Madhes government has already submitted a preliminary report, recommending:

-Surface irrigation repairs and expansion

-Operationalizing deep tubewells

-Long-term irrigation planning

-Promotion of dry-resistant rice varieties

-Seedling-based planting methods

-Crop-targeted subsidies

-Structural agricultural reforms