Flipping through the pages of the government textbook for Grade 7 Nepali, one comes across this baffling paragraph which would be funny if it were not so serious:&nbsp; An elderly couple live in a village. They bear a son in their old age whom they name Balram. When Balram grows up to be a young man, the couple decide to get him married. The wedding is a grand affair. Balram’s wife is exceptionally beautiful and his parents are ecstatic about having found such a beautiful buhari. However, the sasura, curious about her intellect and disposition, decides to test her. So he calls her in and asks her, ‘Buhari, can you tell me how much you think we spent on your wedding?’ Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/learning-rubbish-memorising-gibberish">Learning rubbish, memoring gibberish</a>, Yugottam Koirala and Yugeshwor Koirala Red flags go up all over that paragraph that serves as the story's exposition. But wait, things get even more interesting:&nbsp; &nbsp;The buhari replies, ‘I think you must have spent only about 2-3 manas of rice grains’. Offended by these words, the sasura retorts as he fumes with anger, ‘Your wedding cost me a fortune, and you’re saying 2-3 manas of rice grains is all that was spent? You make it seem like I incurred no expenses’. In what sounds like a line lifted right off of a hammy Indian daily soap, the sasura then goes on to say, ‘I don’t even want to look at your face anymore. Go back to your parents’ house right away! There is no place in my home for a buhari like you’.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230925090916_76578a0ecf3c35d2bdeff79022ed048c5bcfeed57a9cfd4b618c5d33c62f2783.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230925090916_76578a0ecf3c35d2bdeff79022ed048c5bcfeed57a9cfd4b618c5d33c62f2783" data-rendition-name="original" width="1311" height="463" loading="lazy" alt="Nepali textbooks"> <figcaption>The story in the government textbook for Grade 7 Nepali.</figcaption> </figure>  Although aghast at her father-in-law’s response, the buhari does not utter a word. The dad-in-law, on the other hand, is determined to send her off to her parents’ house. The two then embark on a journey to the buhari’s parental home. As the plot thickens, it is revealed that the buhari has a special ability, thanks to which she can communicate with animals. Along the way, the sasura-buhari hear a wolf howling. The sasura does not think much of it, but the buhari knows exactly what the wolf is ‘saying’. The wolf's words translated are too bizarre to ideate. It says, ‘There is a corpse buried right here. If someone were to dig it up, I could feed on it. There’s a diamond ring on one of its fingers. I’d give the ring to whoever digs up the corpse for me’. Upon hearing this, the buhari thinks to herself, ‘If only I could lay my hands on that ring. My sasura will never believe me if I tell him about this. Oh, what a fix I am in!’ Soon, the sasura-buhari decide to make a pit stop under the shade of a banyan tree, and the sasura dozes off as he rests. The buhari then sneaks off to the spot where the wolf had been howling and starts to dig. Unsurprisingly, she unearths the corpse, presents it to the wolf, and takes the diamond ring on the body's finger. Not only are readers confounded by the sheer absurdity of the plot of this 'story', but it must be hard for young Grade 7 readers (or even their teachers) to shake off the macabre mental image it projects in the mind. Aside from a blatant disregard for the concept of dignified treatment of the dead, this story actually presents grave robbing as a perfectly acceptable thing to do.&nbsp; This is not all. The buhari then goes on to dig up some more valuables after a crow tips her off. The sasura is delighted to have come upon so much wealth because of the buhari. Subsequently, she also hands the diamond ring to the sasura and tells him all about how she found it. As you may have guessed, the sasura is now in awe of the buhari and regrets ever having doubted her. Having had a change of heart, he decides not to take the buhari back to her parental home. &nbsp; The story drags on as the sasura continues to ask the buhari random questions to test her wit till he is convinced of her ‘intelligence’ and ends with the sasura ‘entrusting’ the buhari with all his household responsibilities as he is finally impressed with her. What is a student to learn from the protagonist’s attitude towards his daughter-in-law? Will the story leave a child assuming it appropriate for a man to ask his daughter-in-law how much he must have spent on her wedding? Will a child be able to question why such an enquiry on the part of the father-in-law is even relevant? Will a seventh grader who reads the story consider it a man’s prerogative to ‘send his daughter-in-law off’ to her parents the minute he feels offended? What is a girl child to make of the portrayal of the buhari in the story? Are they to think that there is nothing wrong with assuming that a man is entitled to ‘test’ whether his daughter-in-law is good enough for the household?  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230925090920_7a8bef87e71b1ce652247b916eaa4d0e1addfb882b53dcbfad2bf39c5693805c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230925090920_7a8bef87e71b1ce652247b916eaa4d0e1addfb882b53dcbfad2bf39c5693805c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="500" loading="lazy" alt="Nepali textbooks"> <figcaption>Government textbook for Grade 7 Nepali.</figcaption> </figure>  Is it only after she proves her ‘worth’ that a woman is acceptable to her marital family, even if that means digging up graves to bring in wealth? Oh, by the way, where was the woman’s husband while all of this transpired? Even if the author who wrote this story thought it would be an appropriate example to teach children they should not be too quick to judge a person, didn’t a single person who reviewed this story to decide whether it should be part of the school curriculum find the details in the story in the slightest bit objectionable?&nbsp; It is worth noting here that the line-up of authors and reviewers featured in the preface of the textbook in question is predominantly male and all from the dominant ethnic group. Perhaps objections were raised to the content of the book, but they were overruled? Either way, this and many other examples warrant a closer assessment of the government’s school curriculum development system, particularly the process of reviewing and screening content to ensure it is conducive to children’s overall social and emotional development in addition to helping enhance creative and analytical skills. It is crucial for those who design Nepal's school curricula to be mindful that the content of textbooks can solidify gender and social stereotypes in young minds and shape how people perceive and interact in society. If we are to envisage a future free of gender bias and social inequality for Nepal, school textbooks may be a good place to start. &nbsp;&nbsp; Sudeshna Thapa is a human rights lawyer and researcher. thapa.sudeshna@gmail.com

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Opinion

The Exceptional Buhari

The so-called experts referred to in the article <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/business-as-unusual">Business As Unusual</a> in the 22 September issue of Nepali Times by Ramesh Kumar, do not seem to have used their ‘expertise’ in making their observations. Their comments are thus simplistic and mutually contradictory.&nbsp;
If they were using a set of commonly accepted indicators and related verifiable data, their opinion could not be mutually so disparate. I know of no economist in Nepal worth the name who have defined the characteristics specific to Nepal economy and have come up with a theoretically defensible set of prescriptions for investment and economic development in the country.&nbsp;
Many of them masquerade as economists based on having acquired a degree, maybe, a PhD sometime in the past. Others after spending some time in the finance ministry as part of the musical chair of inter-ministry transfers in the bureaucracy.
Like most ‘observers’ in Nepal, these economists too dare to make profound-sounding observations based on what immediately meets their eyes.&nbsp;
For instance, this year they seem to be impressed by the size of the crowd visiting the NADA auto show in Kathmandu to claim that despite the nationwide clamour to the contrary, the economy is not really in a slump.&nbsp;
They are the mob economists who gauge the state of the economy by the size of the shoppers at New Road or Asan Tole.
Nepal's tragedy is that all governments headed by corrupt politicians have spent all their time and energy in defrauding the state and gullible citizens. Examples: massive scams like the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/losing-our-moral-compass">Fake Bhutanese Refugee</a> (KPO and SBD governments), <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/crime-and-or-punishment-in-nepal">Lalita Niwas</a> (MKN and BRB governments) and recent <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/nepal-gets-gold-medal-for-corruption">gold smuggling</a> (PKD government).
Meanwhile the so-called ‘Planning Commission’ and other think tanks recycle what is already in writing. There is no accountability for their total lack of delivery from their writings.&nbsp;
Even at the cost of modesty, I must state that during my tenure in the government as a karmachari, I have had the distinction of innovating three major policy reforms: the institution of user groups, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/taking-away-forests-from-communities">forest user groups</a> and the mothers' groups and their Female Community Health Volunteers.
Together, these policies changed the face of our nation. &nbsp;As the saying goes, if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. That seems to be the fate of our planners, policy makers, self-styled economists and of course, corrupt politicians.
As things stand, as per recent agricultural survey, 62% of households remain in agriculture. A decade earlier in 2011, it was 71% whereas the sector's contribution to national GDP was only 34.3%.&nbsp;
The fact that only 12% farm households have had access to agriculture credit, &nbsp;a prime mover for development, and only 7% to agricultural grants, remains the most lethal of neglect to a sector on which so many people still depend.&nbsp;
This clearly suggests massive deprivation of a vast majority of the country's population through unemployment and underemployment, lack of sufficient land and their vastly unequal distribution.&nbsp;
While 4 million Nepalis plus a vast but unknown number <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/love-thy-neighbours">working in India</a> have migrated for income and employment, a 2018 survey showed that 900,000 people were actively looking for employment, and nearly 70% of them were in the age bracket between 15-34 years.&nbsp;
While Nepal's industrial sector remains miniscule, the irony is that sunflower, palm and soyabean oils remain the major export items. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-doesnt-produce-its-2-biggest-export-items">Since none of those oilseeds are produced in Nepal</a>, it only shows that our investment regime remains totally divorced from even the rudimentary rule of economic development — the principle of comparative advantage. &nbsp;
The size of the crowd visiting the NADA auto show, is more the manifestation of the artificial nature of our industrial sector and remains the handiwork of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/inconvenient-truths">corrupt and incompetent politicians, bureaucrats and an unscrupulous business community</a> working in cahoots to profit from loopholes.&nbsp;
Indian economist Jayati Ghosh who teaches at MIT, wrote about the impact of inequality in her own country in 2022, ‘The pandemic brought home to us a hard truth. Unequal access to incomes and opportunities does more than create unjust, unhealthy and unhappy societies—it kills people.’&nbsp;
Then, Nobel laureate economists, Abhijit Banerjee and Esthe Duflo wrote in 2020: ‘Although no one knows when the growth locomotive will start in a given country, if and when it does, the poor will be more likely to hop on the train if they are in decent health, can read and write, and can think beyond their immediate circumstances.’
Which kleptocrat politician, bureaucrat, unprincipled economist, or hardcore politician disguised as civil society leader has thought of our problems in these terms?
Bihari Krishna Shrestha is an anthropologist and a former government secretary.
<a href="mailto:biharishrestha@gmail.com" target="_blank">biharishrestha@gmail.com</a>

Comment

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there

I am a part of everything that I have read. Theodore Roosevelt  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230923060932_c4a5e9c42326bd5af83e387b79513fb60c11c39ca46fbb845ffc5b9dc56a575d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230923060932_c4a5e9c42326bd5af83e387b79513fb60c11c39ca46fbb845ffc5b9dc56a575d" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="2700" loading="lazy" alt="Miss moti #1180"> </figure>

Miss Motivation

What I read

As those of us in mountainous regions have witnessed, even a rise of 1.5°C is too hot.
It is too hot for the glaciers and permafrost, which are melting at <a href="https://hkh.icimod.org/hi-wise/ice/" target="_blank">an unprecedented rate</a>, whilst changing snowfall, snowmelt and avalanches are becoming more unpredictable. It is too hot for our ecosystems, our food and water sources, and for our people. The ensuing impacts of food and water security will impact one-quarter of humanity living downstream.
With this crisis upon us, it is vital that regions of the world sharing similar challenges come together to also share knowledge, experience and solutions. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), which works for the eight countries of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), and the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland jointly held the first ever Inter-Polar Conference on 6-9 September in Kathmandu.
The Arctic polar region encompasses the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The Himalaya is sometimes referred to as the ‘Third Pole’ as it contains the largest area of permanent ice cover outside of the polar regions. It spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
Despite both the Arctic and the Himalaya experiencing a thawing cryosphere – frozen water at the earth’s surface including glacier, lake and river ice, permafrost and snow – these two regions have traditionally been considered separately.
The Inter-Polar Conference was held in collaboration with the UArctic Chair in Arctic Legal Research and Education, and Law Thematic Network, sought to unite representatives from the polar regions, and to serve as a networking platform to share commonalities, links, and differences, especially concerning geo-political, socio-cultural, environmental, and legal aspects.&nbsp;
ICIMOD drew on its substantial experience as a regional and international mediator to bring together policymakers from mountain regions to drive forward change.
The overarching message from this pioneering conference demonstrated the importance and power of global – and regional – cooperation and collaboration when dealing with the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Representatives and researchers from the Himalaya-Hindu Kush learnt of the specific experience and history of the Arctic Council, which was set up in 1996 to understand environmental challenges and preserve the Arctic environment while promoting sustainable development, and to address issues of climate adaptation and resilience. It has since evolved to establish institutional and governmental mechanisms for sharing knowledge and scientific findings.
The conference’s keynote speakers sharing their insights on critical issues facing our polar regions included Timo Koivurova from Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser at the Department of Science and Technology Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board, India, and Aisha Khan, Chief Executive of the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change (CSCCC) in Pakistan.
The rich networking event sparked a series of interdisciplinary discussions with the aim of developing creative solutions, not least charting a clear roadmap for the Himalaya Hindu Kush to launch its own Regional Institutional Mechanism for the Third Pole.
A rise of 1.5°C is already too hot for the planet. As the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arctic?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">Arctic</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThirdPole?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">Third Pole</a> thaw, we need global unity to combat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChange?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">climate change</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirPollution?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">air pollution</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/biodiversity?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">biodiversity</a> loss. The Inter-Polar Conference was a crucial step towards building a shared knowledge network for positive change. We're joining forces and pushing for faster, ambitious emissions cuts to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveOurSnow?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">save our snow</a>s.
<h2>Three Poles</h2>
“The Arctic, as the Hindu Kush Himalaya, has seen its share of history. It is a place that connects everything together. Some years ago, we said the climate change in the Arctic is two times faster than the global average, then we said three times faster, then four. If we lose the Arctic, we lose the globe.”&nbsp;
Markku Heikkila, the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland 
 
“As we approach the critical 2030 deadline of limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C, the cryosphere, in particular, does not grant us the luxury of time. We must view it through a holistic lens that encompasses not only scientific considerations but also addresses the profound social, economic, and ecological impacts it entails.”
Aisha Khan, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, Pakistan 
 
“The Arctic is changing faster than any other region in the world affecting people's lives, not only in the Arctic but globally. We need to work together across the regions to be able to adopt and find solutions to save our snow and people's homelands.”
Kirsi Latola, University of the Arctic 
 
“Science and technology play a crucial role in building resilience against climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. It's imperative to establish robust mitigation and adaptation measures grounded in both indigenous and evidence-based knowledge.”
Akhilesh Gupta, Science and Engineering Research Board, India 
 
“The science-driven approach of the Arctic Council has many benefits, empowering researchers and indigenous knowledge holders to actively shape inter-governmental policy decisions, ensuring that critical issues receive the attention and consideration they deserve.”&nbsp;
Timo Koivurova, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
Pema Gymatsho is the Director General of the &nbsp;International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu.

The Arctic meets the Himalaya

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to China comes as the season here in Beijing begins to shift from the summer to autumn.&nbsp;
As the Prime Minister alights from his aircraft at the Beijing Capital International Airport being greeted by still balmy conditions, he may very well wonder why his flight could not have touched down at the other (newer) colossal international airport in Beijing, Daxing International, designed by the award winning British architectural firm Zaha Hadid Architects.
That facility is not just a piece of art but is the world’s largest single-building airport occupying more than 7.5 million sq feet of ground space. Although by land-area, Daxing International is still significantly smaller than King Fahd International or even Denver International or Washington Dulles, the way in which the airport evokes, in combination, a sense of power, networks and a futuristic vision is inescapable.&nbsp;
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/fixing-the-broken-parts-in-nepal-china-ties">Fixing the broken parts in Nepal-China ties</a>, Kanak Mani Dixit
This is not surprising at all because the People’s Republic of China is probably at this juncture of history the example par excellence of a Eurasian power vigorously straddling the super continent in almost every sense of the word: political, economic, cultural and certainly in respect to hard infrastructure systems.&nbsp;
It is also no surprise that it is exactly due to this position China currently occupies as a preeminent Eurasian power that it is bumping up with such great and increasing friction against not just the United States but <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/latest/political-geography-of-india-nepal-china-ties">other leading powers in the system such as India</a> and so on.&nbsp;
The state of progressively intense upheavals that is consequently being generated within the international system is something that smaller powers such as Nepal will find almost impossible to circumvent let alone easily maneuver around.&nbsp;
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-now-has-to-balance-not-just-india-and-china-but-also-the-west">Nepal now has to balance not just India nad China, but also the West</a>, Bhairaja Panday
It is within this broad lay of the land that Dahal's September sojourn to China must be viewed and analysed. Sino-Nepal relations do not exist in a vacuum, they are part of larger (and ever shifting) structural, geopolitical forces at play that can potentially pull Nepal against gravitational force into spaces not easily comprehensible, much less simple to navigate.&nbsp;
This comes back to the question as to what is the natural direction of Nepal’s foreign policy, where does the gravity of Nepal’s foreign policy lie, because it is against this question too that better inferences and assessments of the prime minister’s China visit can be brought to bear.&nbsp;
At any given point in history, the state of Sino-Nepal relations will be dictated as well by the overall <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/40-years-after-the-sino-us-thaw">nature and tenor of Sino-US</a>, Sino-Indian as well as Sino-Russian relations and different combinations of those bilateral relationships.&nbsp;
Nepal’s relationship with India and then the United States exerts a profound impact on its foreign policy towards China, and this is exponentially the case in contemporary times as larger and larger diaspora communities in those countries become more entrenched and organised, giving rise to push and pull factors that reverberate back into the corridors of power in Kathmandu.&nbsp;
It must not be forgotten as well that the Maoist party Prime Minister Dahal's visit to China takes place at a time in Nepal's history when its governmental and administrative apparatus is perhaps the most fragile and fungible they have ever been, and therefore prone to being malleable in general or definitely within certain distinct pockets.&nbsp;
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/geopolitical-tectonics">Geopolitical tectonics</a>, Editorial
There are certain strong domestic lobbies in favour of China within Nepal’s political ecosystem, but it is hard to establish the extent to which these have the ability to triumph in forging real diplomatic success in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/sino-nepal-ties-in-the-post-afghan-era">Sino-Nepal relations</a>.&nbsp;
Surely in terms of big-ticket items in the bilateral relationship such as expansion of BRI and an elevated position for China in harvesting the green energy market in Nepal, it appears that Nepal’s position is currently circumscribed to a large extent by structural factors and that Kathmandu would need to approach cooperation with China with greater creativity encompassing an international approach.&nbsp;
For example, harnessing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/geopolitics-of-nepal-s-rivers">Nepal’s substantial hydropower potential</a> is a key objective of policy makers in the country but due to the divergent and fragmented geopolitical environment Nepal faces externally, it becomes challenging for any one of the great powers alone to plan and actually execute large scale infrastructure projects without inciting adverse pushback.&nbsp;
So would it be feasible for Kathmandu to think along the lines of gradually proposing and nurturing international consortia (by including within a single basket China, India and the United States, for instance) to address the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/balance-of-power">development of hydropower in Nepal</a> or other large scale infrastructure initiatives?&nbsp;
It is unlikely that such an approach can be made to happen, but it is certainly worth the effort by the prime minister to explore during his high-level engagements with leaders in China. Sticking to a strictly bilateral approach on this visit to China will be a safe bet for the Prime Minister Dahal and will not ruffle any feathers.
But if one can think out of the box as a means to inject more momentum from Nepal towards much needed regional economic growth, then why not at least try?
Bhaskar Koirala is an independent analyst with Peking University. Views here are the author's own.

Nepal's Maoist leader visits China

Globally, there has been a massive increase in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/climate-change-hits-himalayan-rice">food crop production</a> mainly due to increased land use and a rapid rise in yield.&nbsp;
Yet, hunger not only persists but is growing, with 850 million people not getting enough food, and some 345 million facing serious food insecurity in 2023.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/borderlines/grain-drain">Conflict, climate change and supply chain disruption</a> are causing global food prices to constantly rise, and poorer households are facing unmet dietary needs and nutrition for children.&nbsp;
Decline in household food production means an increasing number of Nepalis have to buy food, and the country’s dependence on imports is increasing even though 60-70 % of the population is supposed to be engaged in agriculture. Nepal is high in the global hunger index, with 36% of children being stunted. &nbsp;
Year after year, farmers are worried about delayed rainfall due to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/kathmandu-s-polycrisis">changes in weather patterns</a> and are unable to plant paddy on time. The shortage and high prices of fertiliser and availability of seeds is a recurring issue. Farmers do get a reasonable price for their produce, making crop farming less and less attractive.&nbsp;
Food Security is a pathway to peace. Rising food insecurity can be a trigger for instability and conflict. Ensuring access to adequate nutrition for all is an important part of a country’s responsibility for the wellbeing of the citizens.
At the historic UN General Assembly Summit in 2015, 193 member countries including Nepal agreed to transform the world by meeting 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. One of the goals is to eliminate all forms of hunger, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-sets-ambitious-target-for-food-sufficiency">but will Nepal meet it</a>?&nbsp;
At the recent Food Security Summit Plus 2 in Rome, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stated: “It is important that we address the bottlenecks in every sector for making a leap towards zero hunger.” The PM’s statement needs to translate into action with leadership, commitment, program activities and financing, so all bottlenecks are removed.&nbsp;
The government’s budget for 2023/24 makes a commitment for a national campaign for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/farm-to-fork">self-reliance in agriculture </a>with an increase in food production from 10.7 million tons to 14 million tons and a reduction in imports by 30 % by the end of 2024. This is clearly unrealistic within the time frame and in absence of inadequate budget allocation, shortage of key agricultural inputs, lack of irrigation and weather challenges.&nbsp;
Nepal’s Agricultural Development Strategy (2015 to 2035) to modernise agriculture <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/biodynamic-agripreneurs">focusing on increasing production</a>, processing and marketing can be a game changer. The PM’s Agriculture Modernisation Program is linked to the strategy and covers a 10-year period ending 2023, but there are serious implementation challenges along with poor alignment with Nepal’s move to a federal system.&nbsp;
The climate crisis adds to all threats to food security. Shifts in rainfall patterns are affecting Nepal’s food basket in the Tarai. The 2023 monsoon saw extreme weather and a long dry spell. Eight districts in the plains suffered from delayed rain with an overall estimated shortfall in paddy of 15-20%.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/push-factors-driving-nepalis-out">Migration of youth</a> has led to a serious shortage in labour and families are leaving their land fallow in hilly regions. A million hectares of land is uncultivated in the hilly districts.
Besides high costs of agricultural inputs, low productivity in all three major cereal crops like paddy, wheat and maize are of serious concern. Fragmentation in farm size means challenges with achieving economies of scale in modernisation and corresponding profitability of farming. &nbsp;
It is estimated that Nepal currently produces 10.5 million tons of cereals (5.5 million tons of rice, 2.7 million tons of maize, 2 mil. tons of wheat and about 0.3 million tons of other crops such as millets. There is an estimated supply gap of around 2 million tons of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/post-monsoon-rain-ruins-nepal-s-crops">paddy</a> for this year.&nbsp;
India is the main source of food commodities for Nepal. In absence of price stabilisation measures in Nepal, when India announces restrictions on global food exports, there is concern about sudden food price rises across Nepal.&nbsp;
Millets are adaptable to harsh climates and grow well in mountain regions under rain-fed conditions, but its cultivation is declining. Since 2023 has been declared as the International Year of Millet, Nepal should promote its cultivation and use in our diet.
Crop destruction by monkeys, wild boars and elephants is most probably due to their habitat being encroached upon. An updated national strategy to deal with this menace and support to farmers is desperately needed. &nbsp;
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in a recent survey found that about 4.26 million Nepalis eat insufficient diets. There are also regional disparities in household food consumption, with the lowest level in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-karnali-s-hunger-emergency">Karnali Province consuming an inadequate diet </a>(22.5%), followed by Sudurpaschim Province (16.9%). Overall, 45.4 % of children between 6 to 23 months of age did not meet the minimum recommended dietary diversity, with the lowest level in Karnali (52.3%), Sudurpaschim (51.7%) and Lumbini (51.4%).&nbsp;
Given that nearly 70% of households are buying their food, continued rise in food prices and decrease in income will inevitably lead to an increase in malnutrition.&nbsp;
A nationwide program for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-students-get-a-second-helping">meals to students </a>up to middle school in all government schools allocates Rs 15 per student per day, which is insufficient. Fortunately, some municipalities are now contributing additional funds for school feeding programs, and this trend should spread.&nbsp;
Despite subsidies for transportation of rice for sale to poor households, supply is irregular. Encouraging consumption of native crops could lead to resilient farming, regular supplies and possibly better nutrition.
Despite the lack of support, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/down-in-sherpa-s-farm">there are success stories</a>, mainly due to individual and private sector engagement. The growth in the dairy and poultry industries is commendable. Individuals returning from overseas employment are getting into vegetable farming, piggery and goats with increased self-reliance.&nbsp;
Checklist
Here is a checklist for the government to make an impact:
<ol>
 <li>Introduce and implement ambitious plans with budget increase and governance structure for farming, along with expansion of livestock, poultry, fishery, horticulture, olericulture and medicinal plants.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Make extensive adaptation and mitigation measures to address the climate crisis with expansion of irrigation, cultivation of indigenous rain-fed crops and diversification of livelihood.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Protect and improve the livelihood of vulnerable communities with safety nets and employment to ensure food security. Review existing support programs for impact and accountability.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Establish a strong governance structure to coordinate implementation, review and monitor progress in program delivery, outcome and impact. &nbsp;</li>
 <li>Bring fallow land into cultivation, and provide assistance to small farmers, with support in technical know-how, marketing, with the engagement of the private sector. Enable and increase women’s engagement in the production process.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Seek partnership to improve the agricultural sector's productivity. India and China have extensive experiences in transformation of their agriculture from food deficit to food surplus nations. More exchanges, cooperation and partnership with these countries and UN system, in particular the Rome-based agencies WFP, FAO, IFAD and UNDP, are needed&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

Bishow Parajuli

Food security is national security

Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness. -James Thurber  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230915050956_720e4e557b7f65c4a62167e83b18f3d6dea414b0805689a242b55a14db55b960.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20230915050956_720e4e557b7f65c4a62167e83b18f3d6dea414b0805689a242b55a14db55b960" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="2700" loading="lazy" alt="Miss Moti"> </figure>

Miss Motivation #1179

The Sherpa people who live below Mt Everest are so famous globally as intrepid mountain guides that their surname has been expropriated by SUV, lounge chair, pet accessory, momo restaurant brands. But their cultural history of being the custodians of the world's highest mountains and intimate relationship with the mountains is reflected in their folk songs. The lyrics point to the Sherpa reverence for nature, and their innate ecological consciousness.&nbsp; Today, the climate emergency is impacting on the Himalaya through no fault of the inhabitants. Rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of glaciers in the Khumbu region, with the threat of glacial lakes bursting. Flora and fauna in the region have been disturbed by weather extremes.&nbsp; But awareness about protecting nature has been Sherpa folklore for generations, long before climate scientists coined the terms greenhouse effect and climate change. Syar Thinche Nima, a song by Rinjin Lhamo Sherpa, a teacher and member of Himalayan Sherpa Cultural Centre in Khumbu, goes like this: The sun rises in the east If the sun doesn’t rise, the mountains will not glow bright The mountains will not remain If there is no snow on the mountains, there will be no rivers There will be no green water If water does not flow, the fish cannot live If there are no fish, there can be no forests Plants cannot grow If plants cannot grow, there will be no birds There can be no life, creation cannot exist. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/margins/songlines-of-the-rivers-and-forests">Songlines of the rivers and forests</a>, Sewa Bhattarai Explains Rinjin: “This song is proof that our community was conscious of the ecology since they have been living here under the mountains.” The song not just portrays the importance of the mountains, but also vocalises the need for their conservation, on which the fates of the very existence of human civilisation depends. This song is also an example of the role of traditional cultures in combating the climate emergency which threatens to destroy the Himalayan ecosystem, and is caused by the overexploiting of nature. In contrast, indigenous cultures like Sherpa culture, reveres and respects the earth and considers it holy. Many Sherpa songs passed down from generations carry this ethos. Another song shared by Pasang Chhiring Sherpa of the Himalayan Sherpa Cultural Centre, Khangdi Thombi, views the mountains as awe-inspiring and sacred: Look at the mountains to the North How tall they are The heart is glad to see them There is a tall, golden wall here Inside the wall are our priceless treasures Our sages reside there Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/bridging-the-andes-and-himalaya-with-music">Bridging the Andes and Himalaya with music</a>, Sewa Bhattarai  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023090904090_2e7c9aaa46a15aa3b42283fe255a3fd9dd6a13b51df7b78f8819e5882e652c21.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2023090904090_2e7c9aaa46a15aa3b42283fe255a3fd9dd6a13b51df7b78f8819e5882e652c21" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="2667" loading="lazy" alt="Page 5"> </figure>  “The song talks about the mountains protecting our most precious possessions, priceless things which we cannot buy with money,” explains Pasang. Sherpas, who know their mountains better than most outsiders, regard them as symbols of purity, greatness, and mystery. These metaphors can be found in much of South Asian literature and religious scriptures like the Rig Veda which regard the icy summits as the abode of the gods. Another song of the Sherpa links the mountains with spirituality and spiritual practices. Another song created by the revered religious leader Thuchi Nyima Rinpoche goes: There is a peak called Kelung Domirila in Tibet It is powerful and sacred We must make many prayer wheels there “Prayer wheels are very important in our religious practice. However, the song does not talk about prayer wheels literally, it implies that we must do good deeds and practice our religion,” explains Pasang. “This song is sung on auspicious occasions and gives a good message.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-last-of-the-kusunda">The last of the Kusunda</a>, Sewa Bhattarai With modernisation, global travel, tourism and monetary upliftment of the Sherpa people, many songs and traditional practices are also in danger of being lost. “Our children are more familiar with English songs and discos, so we made an effort to teach these sacred songs to them,” says Rinjin, who helps with Sherpa culture classes once a week.&nbsp; Activists have also set up the Himalayan Sherpa Cultural Centre to teach the new generation about different types of Sherpa songs, among other activities. There are many songs in Sherpa culture, sung on different occasions and in various settings. ‘Lu’ means song, and there are songs of sorrow (Kyo-lu), songs for weddings (Janti-lu), courtship songs (Ja-lu). Shyabru-lu are sung while dancing around in a circle.&nbsp; Pasang adds: “Until now, we have educated more than a thousand children about these songs, and taught them to sing and dance the old way.” &nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/still-dancing-and-singing-for-nepal-revolution">Still dancing and singing for Nepal revolution</a>, Sewa Bhattarai Sewa Bhattarai is a freelance journalist. Her series, On The Margins, &nbsp;focuses on folk music, folklore, and mythology of Nepal's diverse communities.

Sewa Bhattarai

On the Margins

Songs from Chomolungma

In June, Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey’s No Winter Holidays premiered at the Sheffield DocFest, one of Britain’s biggest documentary festivals. The film was supported by South Korea’s DMZ Docs Industry Project Fund and the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum. In feature films, Fidel Devkota’s The Red Suitcase was nominated for world premier at the Venice International Film Festival and Nabin Subba’s A Road to a Village got into the Toronto International Film Festival. Nepali films and filmmakers are going places, and many have been able to find their way into international labs, forums, pitches and events. Documentary films have also been doing well, but the challenge is to run and sustain the market for non-fiction film. That was a theme of a brain-storming last month of film festival organisers, government bodies, international agencies and independent filmmakers. The conversation first explored the lack of resources and probed ways in which the government and private institutions could promote the film industry.&nbsp; The two hour discussion at the British Council did not just highlight problems, but also identified possible solutions to push the Nepali documentary market to a new direction. &nbsp; While Nepal enjoys good repute internationally, participants felt it was time for private and government agencies to foster a market for documentary film within Nepal. &nbsp;&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kesang-tseten-is-still-silent-but-not-absent">Kesang Tseten is still silent, but not absent</a>, Sonia Awale Despite noteworthy non-fiction films in the past few years, every documentary maker has had to work from scratch. For this, international fora have become the go-to for funds, due to their ease of access.&nbsp; The catch: competition is stiff and there are many who vie for the few prizes. Success depends on what international viewers want to see and can relate to. This audience is not familiar with the nuances of the Nepali world, and the fate of films thus is determined by its relevance to a world far removed from Nepal. International funds and programs have played an important role in encouraging Nepali documentary makers, but the time has come for Nepali support for Nepali filmmakers. Kathmandu Metropolitan City recently handed an application for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network with ‘film’ as its main component. If the city gets the title, that would be perfect timing.&nbsp; But even if it does not, it proves that the government is serious about investing in films and filmmakers. This could translate into grants for film production.&nbsp; Even Nepal Tourism Board, with its active social media presence and sizeable contributions to film festivals in Nepal, sees opportunities in films. 14 Peaks: Nothing is impossible on Netflix was an example of how the combined interests of several agencies can be pooled to create an adventure documentary that played a big role in boosting tourism in Nepal. The broadcast media remains a largely untapped medium to encourage documentary makers. Internationally, it has been tv networks and their digital subsidiaries who actively commission documentaries.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/news/documenting-the-subcontinent-for-a-generation">Documenting the Subcontinent for a generation</a>, Aria Shree Parasai  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230908040952_dbce52ad621f6831023cd5fe7dd4db741cc5ea29eaebe3396c4840ec3bde315c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230908040952_dbce52ad621f6831023cd5fe7dd4db741cc5ea29eaebe3396c4840ec3bde315c" data-rendition-name="original" width="4320" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Page 1"> </figure>  Al Jazeera Witness’s What’s behind caste violence in Nepal? and BBC World Service’s Nepal: The battle for souls are examples of how these commissions have come closer to home. The broadcast media is sustained by advertising. But, while revenue is important, content is still king when it comes to building brands and identity. Herne Katha, for example, is proof of how personal stories not only captivate but move audiences.&nbsp; Viewers are now seeking content online, and film commissioning could also make the most of this opportunity to re-brand and fund documentaries that resonate with Nepali audiences. Nepal’s tv channels could lead the way by producing content for the diaspora who are hungry for stories from home. Tv, with its access to a network of in-country journalists with powerfully distinctive stories could be drivers of audio-visual content.&nbsp; Investing in creative story-tellers to create viewership could persuade advertisers to see value in investing in non-fiction film which will ultimately enrich the ecosystem for Nepali documentaries.&nbsp; Participants at the brainstorming included representatives from the Film Development Board, Film South Asia (FSA), Human Rights International Film Festival, Independent Filmmaker’s Society, Kantipur Television, Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepali Female Filmmakers, Nepal Tourism Board and the US Embassy.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/awakening-documentary-nepal-filmfestivals,794">Awakening documentary</a>, Mallika Aryal The group concluded that there is willingness to fund content and buy content, but what is lacking are linkages between filmmakers and viewers. Watching habits are shifting to reels made for TikTok and YouTube. Should supporters of films give the audience what viewers want, or what they need? It has become imperative to understand what the audience wants, and to be where the viewers are. Perhaps not enough is being done to create avenues for audiences to explore documentaries. ‘Dumbing down content’ is an ongoing discussion, but it may be time to encourage culture of documentaries with its point-of-view human interest approach. The enthusiastic participation of Nepalis at documentary festivals is proof that there is already a critical mass of viewers interested in the non-fiction film format. Film education schools and societies can be mobilised for an even wider audience engagement.&nbsp; As pointed out in the discussion, this could be achieved through showings and documentary appreciation sessions, where film organisations can inculcate a sense of a community of documentary lovers. The Film Development Board should now work to create these linkages between local commissioners and filmmakers. They could support bigger film grants and ensure that financing is hassle-free. This could be a viable way to give Nepali documentaries a boost within Nepal in a flavour that audiences here understand best.&nbsp; The future for films lies in local government bodies, film organisations and the industry working together to support and create a platform to sustain a culture for documentary viewing. Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Manakamana-review-David-Gellner,1949">How not to make a documentary</a>, David N Gellner Smriti Basnet is a filmmaker and runs Kathaharu, a production company based in Kathmandu. <h2>Nepali films in Busan Fesitval</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230908040952_4384a408232a10f0e28b8dacf74d9f7ccc84b76f8b60feea2065f2410d315209.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230908040952_4384a408232a10f0e28b8dacf74d9f7ccc84b76f8b60feea2065f2410d315209" data-rendition-name="original" width="1250" height="626" loading="lazy" alt="Page 9"> </figure>  Three Nepali films have been selected for the Busan Festival in South Korea from 4-13 October. Gaun Aayeko Bato (A Road to a Village) directed by Nabin Subba is being screened for the first time at the ongoing 48th Toronto International Festival. The film featuring actors Dayahang Rai, Pashupati Rai and Prasan Rai tells a story of how a new road in the village changes father-son relations.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230908040952_6e1bf726df21f6966f765b1789ce607685f9398088656931b22e06ff77d16570.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20230908040952_6e1bf726df21f6966f765b1789ce607685f9398088656931b22e06ff77d16570" data-rendition-name="original" width="1250" height="704" loading="lazy" alt="Page 9"> </figure>  Gaun Aayeko Bato will be screened under the ‘Window on Asian Cinema’ category at Busan. “I believe this will help in globalising our films,” says Subba. Guras directed by Saurav Rai has also been selected for Busan. First screened at Karlovy Vary International Film in the Czech Republic, Guras is a story from the perspective of a 10-year-old girl who sets out in search of her missing hen against the economic and social backdrop of Darjeeling. Tulsi Khawas and Kagendra Lamichanne play the leads.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230908040956_182d6917bb62faf46ac7bfabe19373f2af07f38cbda241ebac7cd5d12f71233f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20230908040956_182d6917bb62faf46ac7bfabe19373f2af07f38cbda241ebac7cd5d12f71233f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1250" height="782" loading="lazy" alt="Page 9"> </figure>  “Our films being selected for international films means they like our unique identity. We are being screened at prestigious film festivals like Venice, Busan and Toronto, this is a matter of great pride,” says Lamichhane. The Witness Tree, a documentary by Niranjan Bhetwal, has been selected to be screened under Busan’s Asian documentary category.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/lights-camera-action-in-nepal">Lights, Camera, Action in Nepal</a>, Ashish Dhakal

Documentary films come of age

Nepal finds itself at an intersection of two potent forces – a technological revolution sweeping the globe and a dramatic demographic shift. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, often seen as the deus ex machina of the 21st century, are making their presence in every part of our lives. This digital metamorphosis comes with its benefits and threats. While they promise to augment economic activities, they simultaneously risk displacing numerous labour-intensive jobs. This concern is acute for a country like Nepal, where remittances from its workers in the Gulf countries, a region rapidly embracing technological shift, account for almost 26% of the nation’s GDP. “Job displacement from labor-intensive industries has been taking place for several decades, as countries move to higher-value-added activities and services,” wrote Mckinsey &amp; Company in The Future of Jobs in the Middle East in 2018, adding that this will accelerate <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/middle-east-and-africa/are-middle-east-workers-ready-for-the-impact-of-automation">between now and 2030 with 45% of existing work in the Middle East potentially being automated.</a>  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090952_a93aeeca5e7480559a7ada068cb22ba7247b73088349c2eedead1f35af622d81.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230904090952_a93aeeca5e7480559a7ada068cb22ba7247b73088349c2eedead1f35af622d81" data-rendition-name="original" width="918" height="685" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"></figure>   <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090952_1b3468214a3703bdf69e5c332831d25699cd690e170d2ef7b1418fbbe19ca9f6.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230904090952_1b3468214a3703bdf69e5c332831d25699cd690e170d2ef7b1418fbbe19ca9f6" data-rendition-name="original" width="676" height="305" loading="lazy" alt="ILO"><figcaption>Source: Recruitment of migrant workers from Nepal: Country Profile (ILO, 2021)</figcaption></figure>  This should be of special concern for policymakers in labour exporting countries like Nepal given the inherent <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/middle%20east%20and%20africa/are%20middle%20east%20workers%20ready%20for%20the%20impact%20of%20automation/the-future-of-jobs-in-the-middle-east.pdf">link between displacement potential by automation and low-to-medium levels of education and experience</a>. Workers who have a ‘high-school education or less’ are most vulnerable to the shocks associated with automation. The average automation potential of jobs requiring less than high school, or high school/some experience is more than 50%. Labour migrating from Nepal predominantly characterised by a preponderance of young unskilled labor (more than 54% of total labor migration) are most vulnerable in this displacement.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090952_184cb0d4a71b043fa9cbc0cf102e6ceee65e43dd27e42e3d5d3befdce491525f.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230904090952_184cb0d4a71b043fa9cbc0cf102e6ceee65e43dd27e42e3d5d3befdce491525f" data-rendition-name="original" width="918" height="644" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"></figure>   <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090952_fdb171a296445b16abb2dd9a04e2dac49a0e8d8723b7564bf232b96a4ad16f36.png" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230904090952_fdb171a296445b16abb2dd9a04e2dac49a0e8d8723b7564bf232b96a4ad16f36" data-rendition-name="original" width="1106" height="268" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"><figcaption>Source: Recruitment of migrant workers from Nepal: Country Profile (ILO, 2021)</figcaption></figure>  At the same time, Nepal with more than 60% of its population falling in the working age group is undergoing a demographic shift. Drawing upon the 2021 census data, Nepal’s annual population growth rate has decreased to 0.92% with the birth rate having dropped while life expectancy is on the rise. The World Bank data reveals that Nepal’s birth rate dropped from 31 per 1,000 people in 2000 to 20 in 2020, while <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=NP">life expectancy</a> has risen from 63 years to 69 years during the same period. The number of people older than 60 has climbed by 2 percent points. By 2040, the <a href="https://databank.worldbank.org/source/population-estimates-and-projections">population estimates and projections from the World Bank</a> shows that the proportion of elderly population in Nepal will have increased by more than one third. These demographic forces are poised to cause a significant increase in the dependency ratio (dependent people as percent of the working age population), a challenge for an economy primarily dependent on labour remittance.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904100944_d1d3d49bf18f40fb0ec96b81bcb77ff1cbf2641896397b71868cae07fc78d131.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20230904100944_d1d3d49bf18f40fb0ec96b81bcb77ff1cbf2641896397b71868cae07fc78d131" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="700" loading="lazy" alt="demographic transition"><figcaption>Source: Nepal Population and Housing Census (NSO- NPHC, 2021)</figcaption></figure>  Nevertheless, technological revolution has not only reshaped global superpowers but has also provided emerging economies with opportunities to leapfrog traditional developmental transition. Digital technology’s creative destruction could spawn new sectors of employment, that could help to harness the benefit of demographic dividend and improve the quality of life in the longer run. <a href="https://www.iids.org.np/images/publications/53e4e8a0c60bb963dfdabce67ec5fdcf.pdf">A study by the Institute of Integrated Development Studies</a> offers insightful data that underscores the significance. By 2022, Nepali IT companies had made a substantial investment of $41.26 million across the country. This investment reflects the growing confidence of stakeholders in the potential of the IT sectors. More impressively, these investments translated into staggering revenue of $515 million, showcasing the sector’s profitability, and its capacity to contribute to the national economy. As technology has made more services tradable, Nepal has the opportunity to transition from labour exports to service exports. This not only retains talent within the country but also creates job opportunities for the youth, addressing the brain drain issue. However, the trajectory isn’t as straightforward. Digital inclusion gaps, a limited capacity for innovative digital tech use, myopic labour laws, lack of data security laws, shortage of skills and IT infrastructural challenges pose substantial barriers for inclusive growth. Moreover, Nepal has grappled with governance failure and political instability that have hampered past policy implementation efforts, pointing towards a more critical systemic challenge. On one hand, IT companies seek workforce proficiency in essential areas such as UI/UX, SQL, full stack web development, python, DevOps, and automation testing.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090956_bf93b210720350521983eeebac9d8f82458aaf26608105bd57fb32991929002e.png" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20230904090956_bf93b210720350521983eeebac9d8f82458aaf26608105bd57fb32991929002e" data-rendition-name="original" width="655" height="455" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"><figcaption>Source: Unleashing IT: Advancing Nepal’s Digital Economy (IIDS, 2023) </figcaption></figure>  While on the other hand, demographic profile of Nepal shows that there are less than 2% youths in the age group 15-39 years with 10+2 or equivalent who have computing and technology as major field of study. The figure is much higher for those enrolled in management at more than 35%.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904090956_58e440ecb976281a220e2d16c26ff12c4679418957ca77c33250fbcd26792299.png" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20230904090956_58e440ecb976281a220e2d16c26ff12c4679418957ca77c33250fbcd26792299" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="800" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"><figcaption>Source: Nepal Population and Housing Census (NSO- NPHC, 2021) </figcaption></figure>  Viewed through a gender lens, females within this age group exhibit a strong inclination towards Education and Health/Medical Sciences. Their representation in the field of Computing and Information Technology remains strikingly low, accounting for less than 1% of the cohort.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023090410090_8697f24662b6a53800810f764bb8d834b5198772b28cf29845ef23ec65bf15be.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="2023090410090_8697f24662b6a53800810f764bb8d834b5198772b28cf29845ef23ec65bf15be" data-rendition-name="original" width="1900" height="800" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"><figcaption>Source: Nepal Population and Housing Census (NSO- NPHC, 2021) </figcaption></figure>  While established <a href="https://b360nepal.com/public/putting-his-stamp-on-the-world-kiran-bhakta-joshi">digital enterprises and burgeoning startups are navigating through the talent pool</a>, they frequently encounter a significant void: a dearth of individuals possessing the requisite skills to be deemed employable. This scarcity is particularly pronounced among women, whose specific skill gaps act as a formidable barrier, constraining their full participation in the digital workforce and entrepreneurial ventures. Madhes Province, for instance, with a youthful demographic paradoxically grapples with staggering low female literacy rate (54.7%).  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230904100932_7b52c96ac5b03f15a358ec65d94d9485e78aba51c3f2ac8915041e98fd337779.png" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20230904100932_7b52c96ac5b03f15a358ec65d94d9485e78aba51c3f2ac8915041e98fd337779" data-rendition-name="original" width="1512" height="634" loading="lazy" alt="Tech and transition"><figcaption>Source: Nepal Population and Housing Census (NSO- NPHC, 2021)</figcaption></figure>  It is crucial to consider the <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w28551">unequal effects of service-led growth</a>, a phenomenon that has been observed in other developing countries like India. In Nepal, this could exacerbate existing urban-rural divides, as the evolution of informational technology may not absorb the unskilled labour from rural area that currently seeks employment abroad, particularly in the Gulf countries. It is imperative for Nepal to craft policies that are sensitive to these unequal effects. This could include investing in education and training programs that are aligned with the needs of the IT sector, bridging rural development initiatives that complement holistic service led growth, and implementing training programs that help females and individuals from underrepresented groups in the burgeoning IT sector. As the tides of time advance, we find countries steadily pivoting towards realms of higher intellectual yield—towards activities and services that demand less from the body and more from the mind. Nepal with its youthful demographic could, to some extent, harness the power of technology to spur economic growth. However, this same demographic group, given their current education levels, might not effectively complement in the aspired trajectory. Moreover, they are potentially the most vulnerable to unemployment due to automation, especially with over 54% of total labour migration being unskilled. The government faces a herculean task in turning technology into a viable solution for employment and inclusive growth. Development stakeholders in the young republic must guide this transformation with astute policymaking and strategies as we witness Nepal's demographic shift in the age of automation.” Ashutosh M. Dixit is an economist and an Australia Award Scholar with over 15 years of experience. He has worked with the National Planning Commission in Nepal and global institutions including the World Bank, UNICEF, UN-ESCAP, OECD, UNDP, and Standard Chartered.