Agriculture Minister Shah underscores boosting exports

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Jwala Kumari Shah has emphasized on creating a situation for increasing export rather than an import.

Addressing a program organized by the Centre for Crop Development and Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation in the context of the National Agricultural Biodiversity Year, 2023 here today, she said, "We should think of ways of increasing export than the import. We need to seriously think over why we lag behind in agriculture despite being a predominantly agricultural country."

The Minister underscored adopting a policy of crop and biodiversity conservation.

Ministry secretary Dr. Govinda Prasad Sharma shed light on the importance of the National Agriculture Biodiversity Day celebrated on the 1st of Magh every year according to the Nepali calendar.

"More than 40 percent of biodiversity has declined in the agriculture sector in Nepal. We will be facing a big challenge if we fail to conserve biodiversity even now," he cautioned.

Similarly, Ministry’s other secretary Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal said the conservation of bio-diversities was vital to make human life easier and sustainable.

“Farmers’ community was the first point for the conservation of biological diversities and our policies and plans should be formulated with priority to their concerns and needs,” he asserted.

Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NAARC) executive director Dr. Deepak Bhandari pressed the need of conserving and promoting as well as the property utilizing bio-diversities in agriculture.

Centre for Crop Development and Agro Bio-diversity Conservation Chief Dr. Ram Krishna Shrestha gave his presentation on the National Agriculture Biological Diversity Year, 2079 BS while National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre-Genebank Chief Dr. Balkrishna Joshi talked about biological diversity conservation and NARC accomplishments.

Associate professor at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Subodh Khanal, highlighted the study, reaches, and achievements of the university regarding agro bio- diversity.