Abstract

Weekly rural markets, locally called haat bazars, are very common in Nepal’s Terai region and play a key role in local food trade. They connect farmers, traders, and consumers, and generate valuable information on prices, volumes, demands and food availability. However, data from these markets has never been systematically collected or used in Nepal’s official statistics and policies. This has left a gap in understanding market dynamics, rural-urban food linkages, and food security trends.
This study aims to design and test a simple and low-cost way of collecting and integrating weekly rural market data into the national agricultural statistical system. Using mobile survey tools and community-based reporting, data will be collected on traded commodities, prices, post-harvest losses, and participation of smallholders and marginalized groups in randomly selected 50 Terai markets. Data will be further utilized for econometric analysis. The new data will be compared and harmonized with existing prices and geographical based production statistics to check consistency and usefulness.
The study will provide a framework for integrating weekly rural market data into Nepal’s agricultural statistical system, improving data quality, timeliness, and policy relevance. It will also generate evidence that can support food security monitoring and serve as a model for other developing countries in the Global South.