Editorial photo #12605318 Social Issue

Protest In Nepal Against Government's Inaction In Addressing Drought In Madhesh Province

Members of the Madhesh Agri-Water Movement Struggle Committee protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 1, 2025, against the government's inaction in addressing and solving the issue of drought in Madhesh province of Nepal. Despite being in August, mid-way to the peak monsoon season, much of the farmland across Madhesh remains dry. Seedlings wither from a lack of water, and many farmers fear they may have to buy rice this year. Due to the expanse of its cultivated land, Madhesh is Nepal's top agricultural production zone. It produces 25.3 percent of the country's total paddy, 32.1 percent of its wheat, 77.1 percent of mangoes, 66.5 percent of sugarcane, 22.1 percent of oilseeds, 37 percent of pulses, 57.9 percent of fish, 18.12 percent of milk, and 21.93 percent of bananas. These crucial crops and livestock outputs are now threatened due to insufficient rains. Of the 542,580 hectares of arable land in the province, 362,344 hectares are allocated for summer paddy, and 20,839 hectares for spring paddy. Agriculture, forestry, and fishery contribute the highest share--36.73 percent--to Madhesh's GDP. However, spring planting (March to April) is abandoned this year due to drought. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development show that only 51 percent of the paddy fields in Madhesh are planted this summer. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)