A study done by Nepal Rastra Bank has shown that only 45.2 percent of arable land of Nepal is equipped for irrigation.
According to Nepal population, social, economic and financial status (state profile) unveiled by Nepal Rastra Bank Research Department earlier in Jun, only 79.3 percent of the total 32,14,000 hectares of arable land in 57 districts are cultivated regularly. The study has shown that 45.2 percent of the total land that is being cultivated has been equipped for irrigation.
In Karnali Province, only 22.9 percent of 102,884 hectares of the arable land has been equipped for irrigation. Similarly, 281,124 hectares of the land is arable in Province 2, of which the land with irrigation facility accounts for 66.3 percent.
The study has shown that 3,62,335 hectares of land is arable in Gandaki Province where 32 percent of the land is equipped with irrigation facility.
Likewise, 4,47, 653 percent of the land is arable in Province 5 with 40.3 percent of the land is equipped with irrigation facility. While Province 7 has 254,692 hectares of arable land of which 35.7 percent of the land is equipped for irrigation, the NRB study shows.
Meanwhile, Province 2 has the highest proportion of cultivated area compared to its arable land, while Province 3 has the lowest proportion of cultivated area. Province 2 has 89.9 percent of its total land (i.e. 481,214 hectares) cultivated, while only 73.9 percent of the total area land in Province 3 has been cultivated.
