KATHMANDU: For the first time in the country, Farmers’ Listing Management Campaign has started in Nepal. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli marked the beginning of the campaign virtually at once in all seven provinces amidst a program in the capital city on Saturday.

Addressing the event, the PM said the campaign was a crucial effort under the government move for commercialization and modernization of agriculture. With the development of technology in the country, the government was working to make every activity technology-friendly and termed this campaign a milestone of Digital Nepal.

The campaign would institutionalise agriculture as a dignified occupation and is expected to help implement the programmes of farmers’ welfare protection.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has stated that the relations between the state and farmers would be closer through the identity cards by maintaining records of farmers from across the country.

On the occasion, the PM pledged to utilise the assistance received from the European Union (EU) for this campaign. On the occasion, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Padma Kumari Aryal informed that the agriculture listing campaign was launched with the coordination among three layers of government. “It helps establish farmers as respected people”, she hoped, adding that it would also replace the subsistence farming.

According to her, identification of real farmers would enable their access to State entitlements. The plan on agricultural development was launched in a bid to augment export of agricultural products in five years.

The ‘Prosperous Farmers and Healthy Nepal’ campaign was linked to farmers’ listing programme. It is believed that the farmers’ listing programme would eliminate the bad practice of receiving benefits by the non-farmers.

Moreover, EU Ambassador to Nepal, Nona Deprez, expressed commitment that EU would continue extending necessary assistance to Nepal for its agricultural development.