KATHMANDU: National Assembly member Dr. Anjan Shakya has urged the government to establish an Agriculture Center of Excellence to ensure holistic development of Nepal’s agricultural sector.
Speaking during discussions on the budget for the fiscal year 2025/26, Shakya said the need for a comprehensive strategy rooted in modernization, sustainability, and commercialization of agriculture.
She stressed the importance of initiatives such as soil quality testing systems, crop selection protocols, seed quality control and treatment mechanisms, incentives for seed production, and efficient seed collection infrastructure.
“The establishment of a Center of Excellence will create employment for scientists, professors, agricultural experts, engineers, entrepreneurs, students, and farmers,” Shakya said, adding that “it will pave the way for Nepal to become an export-oriented agricultural nation.”
Recalling her earlier advocacy for youth employment, Shakya welcomed the budget’s focus on startup enterprises and innovation.
She noted that the provision of a five-year income tax exemption for startups with an annual turnover of up to Rs 100 million is a step in the right direction.
“To increase the number of job creators, not job seekers, the budget’s focus on startup-based innovation and entrepreneurship is commendable,” she said.
Citing data, Shakya mentioned that over 500 startups have already been registered in Nepal and projected that by 2030, this number could exceed 10,000 startups and over 100 unicorn companies, generating more than 50,000 jobs.
She also appreciated the budget’s commitment to agricultural modernization, enhanced productivity, irrigation expansion, availability of improved seeds and fertilizers, market access, and mechanization. However, she said that without productivity gains in agriculture and industry, sustainable economic development would be unattainable.
To that end, she advocated for targeted incentives to attract youth to agriculture and industrial sectors. “We must begin engaging students in farming from school level,” Shakya said.
She proposed incorporating agriculture and entrepreneurship education into the curriculum, expanding technical and vocational training, and ensuring the effective implementation of university-based incubation centers.
Additionally, she highlighted the potential of promoting high-value crops in the hilly districts of Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim Provinces, and called for tax exemptions and incentive packages for farmers in those regions.
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