MWE Correspondent
Thousands of smallholder farmers in Nepal are struggling to adapt after the termination of U.S.-funded agricultural development programs that had supported rural communities for years.
Among the initiatives affected was Feed the Future, a major USAID-backed program that provided seeds, training, technical support, and market access to farmers across the country. The program was part of broader efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity and improve rural livelihoods.
For farmers like Bhagirathi Khadka, the program offered a pathway out of poverty. With support from agricultural advisers, she revived previously unused farmland and began growing maize, generating enough income to support her family and contribute to a local savings cooperative.
However, after the program ended, productivity declined and financial pressures increased. As farming income became less reliable, Khadka’s husband left for Malaysia in search of work, leaving her to care for their children and manage the farm alone.
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The situation reflects a wider trend across rural Nepal, where many families are increasingly dependent on migration as a source of income. Women, in particular, are taking on greater responsibilities at home while others are seeking employment abroad.
One of them is 25-year-old Amrita Khatri, who moved to Kuwait to work as a domestic worker after drought and declining agricultural opportunities made it difficult to support her family through farming.
“There is drought. Crops are produced with great difficulty. I had no choice but to go abroad,” she said.
Development specialists warn that the closure of long-term agricultural support programs could undermine years of progress in rural development. Without access to training, improved seeds, and technical guidance, many small-scale farmers may find it increasingly difficult to maintain production and income levels.
The challenges facing Nepal’s farming communities highlight the broader consequences of changes in international aid policies, particularly in countries where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihoods for millions of people.
