"mid-monsoon drought."

#12605315

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605316

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605317

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605318

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605319

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605320

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605321

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605322

1 August 2025

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.

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#12605323

1 August 2025

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.

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#12590515

27 July 2025

Cracks appear on a paddy field in Rautahat district of Nepal in Madhesh Province bordering India after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon on July 26, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12590525

27 July 2025

Cracks appear on a paddy field in Rautahat district of Nepal in Madhesh Province bordering India after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon on July 26, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12590532

27 July 2025

Cracks appear on a paddy field in Rautahat district of Nepal in Madhesh Province bordering India after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon on July 26, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12590511

27 July 2025

A crane walks along a paddy field in Rautahat district in Madhesh Province, bordering India, on July 26, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12590519

27 July 2025

A farmer stands against his cracked paddy field in Rautahat district, Nepal, on July 26, 2025, after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12583564

25 July 2025

Cracks appear on the field in Bara district of Nepal in Madhesh Province bordering India after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon on July 25, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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#12583566

25 July 2025

Cracks appear on the field in Bara district of Nepal in Madhesh Province bordering India after a dry spell of drought in mid-monsoon on July 25, 2025. An emergency cabinet meeting on July 23, 2025, declares Nepal's Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone as severe drought hits the nation's breadbasket. The unusual absence of rain in the Southern plains of Nepal in mid-monsoon pushes the region into a state of crisis. The drought leaves seedbeds dry, and paddy saplings wither, sparking fears of an impending food shortage in Nepal's major rice-producing region. The scarcity of water during mid-monsoon in the Tarai, Nepal's food basket, threatens not only farmers' livelihoods but also the national economy.

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