Nepal is largely dependent on the import of rice, the staple diet of the Nepalis, to feed its population, and any major decision by the Indian government on its export has telling impact on Nepal's food supply. The Indian government's recent ban on the export of broken rice and a 20 per cent duty on export of different types of rice have raised fears of inflation here. If nothing else, the duty will push up the price of paddy by five rupees a kilo and of rice by upto seven rupees per kilo, according to traders. Rice imports in 2022 are expected to touch 1.3 million tons, up from a million tons last year. India is a major exporter of rice to the world, but this year's below average rainfall and the heatwave, which curtailed plantation across India, have forced it to augment its domestic supply. Nepal's weather conditions have fared no better, with below average rainfall during the plantation season, despite predictions of above normal rainfall, shattering all hopes of a bumper rice harvest. Even without the 20 per cent duty on rice exports by India, food prices in Nepal have been rising since February this year following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Despite government efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in food, Nepal imported rice and paddy worth more than Rs 50 billion, a figure that has been going up for the last 20 years. Ten years ago, Nepal's rice and paddy imports were worth Rs 20 billion. Rice apart, Nepal imports broken rice and paddy husks for use in animal feed. Nepal is also expected to import about a million tons of wheat and corn this year.

However, India has tightened wheat and now flour exports, citing security risks following disruptions in the global supply. If adequate food cannot be secured from India, the government must look for alternative markets, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. One might even get rice at a cheaper rate from these countries.

With food supply disruptions more likely to become a reality due to unforeseeable circumstances in the future, Nepal has no option other than to boost agriculture production to become self-sufficient in at least major food items. Governments can no longer be paying mere lip service to attaining self-sufficiency in food when Nepal is no way near to achieving it even after decades of planning. Above all, the policy to stop the immediate fragmentation of arable land must be implemented strictly. In the last one decade alone, about 100,000 hectares of arable land has been converted into housing plots. An equal amount of land remains uncultivated as there is no one to tend to it because the youths are working abroad as migrant labourers. And the perennial problem of fertiliser shortage that dates back decades needs to be sorted out at the earliest. During the visit of Nepal's Foreign Minister to Beijing last month, the Chinese government had said it would consider positively to provide chemical fertiliser to Nepal and also carry out a feasibility study to establish a chemical fertiliser factory in the country. Nepal should keenly follow up on the commitment made. Sluggish ways of working of the government are not going to help the country become self-sufficient in food or in any other field.

Take legal action

Over half-a-million people seeking new smart driving licences or renewing them are seen carrying only the paid receipts provided by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) as the department has failed to issue smart driving licences to the service seekers. The DoTM has blamed Madras Security Printers Chennai, India, which was awarded the multi billion rupee contract to issue the smart driving licences, for failing to deliver them as per the agreement. But the department has not taken any action against the supplier, nor has it looked for an alternative to it. The DoTM has also said the firm has yet to develop the related software on a full scale.

The DoTM officials have informed the concerned company about the technical malfunctioning of its software system. But the company has not responded yet. There is also the problem for online payment of taxes and insurance as there is a loophole in the security system. As per the agreement the concerned firm should provide its services and technical support to the service seeker. Failure to comply with the agreement will automatically lead to the termination of the contract and seizure of the bank guarantee.

Hence, the DoTM must take legal action against the contractor.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 12, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.