Abstract

Agricultural Statistics in Nepal: Access, Gaps, and Policy Use
Rajan Silwal
1. Context & Motivation
Agriculture continues to be a cornerstone of the Nepalese economy, contributing 25.2 percent of GDP and employing a large share of the workforce. Despite this importance, agricultural statistics remain inadequate in terms of coverage, reliability, and disaggregation. Gaps exist in data on crop types, productivity, employment, input demand and supply, and market prices, which weakens evidence-based policymaking.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) produces and disseminates current agricultural statistics, while the National Statistics Office (NSO) generates benchmark statistics through censuses and surveys. The NSO provides data on agricultural holdings, parcel size, land use, crop types, livestock, poultry, credit, irrigation, and market facilities. However, weak coordination, methodological inconsistencies, and limited user access reduce the value of these datasets for policy and planning.
As agricultural policy emphasizes productivity, commercialization, food security, and poverty reduction, reliable and timely statistics are essential. Identifying gaps, ensuring access, and improving the use of available data are critical for planning, sub-sectoral interventions, and long-term strategies.
2. Importance of the Study
This paper assesses the current status of agricultural statistics in Nepal and examines their disaggregation up to the seven provinces and 753 local levels. It evaluates the accessibility of statistics to policymakers, researchers, civil society, and development partners, and considers their use in addressing national and local priorities.
By situating Nepal’s experience in the broader context of developing countries, where agriculture remains central to livelihoods, the paper provides insights into both good practices and persistent limitations. Policymakers, researchers, and development partners will benefit from understanding the institutional and technical challenges of agricultural statistics and their implications for planning and monitoring.
3. Objectives
The study aims to present a snapshot of agricultural statistics in Nepal, focusing on data collection practices, institutional responsibilities, stakeholder involvement, policy use, and existing limitations. It also seeks to identify gaps and suggest ways to strengthen data access and utilization.
4. Data & Methods
Benchmark agricultural statistics are collected by the NSO, primarily through the decennial National Sample Census of Agriculture (NSCA). The seventh NSCA, completed in 2022, provides detailed information on land use, irrigation, livestock, and crop production. The NSO also undertakes specialized surveys, including the National Commercial Vegetable Survey, Commercial Livestock Integrated Survey, Poultry Survey, Pilot Agricultural Integrated Survey, Commercial Coffee Survey, Commercial Tea Survey, and Fisheries Survey.
MoALD, meanwhile, collects current agricultural statistics mainly from administrative records, crop-cutting surveys, estimates, and secondary sources. It is presently conducting the National Agriculture Survey with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization. Both agencies employ a mix of traditional paper-based methods and modern digital tools such as computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI).
5. Preliminary Findings / Expected Results
Based on policies, survey results, and regional practices, the study is expected to highlight major data gaps, assess accessibility for users, and evaluate the adequacy of metadata and documentation. It will examine transparency in methodology, comparability of estimates, and the extent to which available statistics are integrated into policymaking.
The findings will also identify areas where agricultural statistics have supported effective interventions and others where weaknesses have limited their usefulness. Issues such as duplication of efforts, limited dissemination, and weak coordination between NSO and MoALD are expected to emerge as key challenges. Recommendations will emphasize harmonization, improved access, and greater user engagement.
6. Relevance to Conference Themes
The study is closely aligned with the ICAS sub-theme of data access and use for policymaking, while also contributing to discussions on data production and processing. It will address quality concerns, measurement errors, and the reliability of census and survey operations, thereby offering lessons that extend beyond Nepal.
7. Conclusion & Implications
The conclusions will provide ICAS-X participants with insights into the state of agricultural statistics in Nepal and the broader challenges of data systems in developing countries. The paper will demonstrate how limited availability, weak access, and underuse of statistics constrain evidence-based decision-making, while also presenting examples of promising practices.
By highlighting gaps in coordination, methodological standards, and dissemination, the study underscores the need for a more integrated statistical system. The challenges of limited resources, fragmented responsibilities, and uneven capacity will be shared as lessons for governments, development partners, and civil society.
Ultimately, the study argues that strengthening agricultural statistics can expand the choices available to planners and policymakers. Reliable, accessible, and transparent statistics are indispensable for designing effective interventions, targeting resources, and ensuring agriculture’s contribution to food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. Evidence-based findings will thus not only enrich policy discourse in Nepal but also offer comparative insights for other countries seeking to improve their agricultural statistics.