Strengthening the Supply Chain for Agricultural Crop Residue Management in the Terai, Nepal

About the event

This technical coordination meeting brings together key partners to explore sustainable solutions for managing agricultural crop residues (ACR) in Nepal’s Terai region. Open burning of crop residues remains a major source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the country. The event aims to initiate dialogue on strengthening the ACR supply chain from collection and storage to processing and market linkages by connecting district-level implementation units and central agencies.

Objectives

• Strengthen stakeholder coordination at the central and district levels.
• Explore opportunities to develop a sustainable supply chain for agricultural crop residues.
• Identify practical solutions for converting residues into value-added products such as biomass pellets.

Meeting attendees

The meeting will bring together representatives from:

• National Agriculture Modernization Programme (NAMP) and its Programme Implementation Units (PIUs)
• District representatives from Bardia, Dang, Kapilvastu, and Rupandehi
• Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development
• Experts and facilitators from ICIMOD
• Cooperatives, private sector actors, and local leaders involved in agriculture and clean energy

This coordination meeting is organised by Air Pollution Mitigation Intervention under the Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP), with support from UK International Development, in collaboration with the National Agriculture Modernization Programme (NAMP).

Background

Launched in 2016 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the National Agriculture Modernization Programme (NAMP)- formerly PMAMP seeks to modernise and commercialise agriculture across Nepal. Its four-tiered implementation structure spans all 77 districts and includes pockets, blocks, zones, and super zones.

While the programme has advanced agricultural productivity, the intensification of farming has led to growing volumes of crop residue, especially in the Terai. Farmers often burn this residue to quickly clear fields, contributing to over 90% of residue burning in Nepal. This practice worsens air pollution, public health risks, and climate impacts.

ICIMOD has been working to mitigate these impacts through sustainable alternatives such as converting crop residue into biomass pellets. Strengthening the supply chain for such clean energy solutions requires improved coordination, infrastructure, and inclusive participation especially from women, farmers, and cooperatives. This meeting is a step toward enabling that transformation.