Kathmandu, November 4 Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $50 million policy-based loan to support Nepal’s reforms to improve food safety measures, enhance agricultural trade standards, and promote agricultural commercialisation in the country. “Agriculture has a big potential to contribute significantly to Nepal’s growth and development, but the sector remains rooted on subsistence farming and food safety measures are impeding the prospect of trade with other countries,” said Navendu Karan, ADB’s senior public management economist. “ADB’s assistance will help address these issues by making sure that Nepal’s agricultural products and processes are up to international standards.” Agriculture plays a key role in Nepal’s economy, contributing 27 per cent of gross domestic product in 2019, with 55 per cent of the country’s working age population (above 15 years) engaged in subsistence agriculture, 61 per cent of whom are women. However, the sector’s productivity remains the lowest in South Asia, given the dominance of subsistence farming, poor adoption of suitable on-farm and post-harvest technology, lack of timely supply of quality inputs, including fertilisers and seeds, and limited financial services and infrastructure, as per ADB. ADB further states that agricultural commercialisation is constrained by the limited capacity of farmers to prepare bankable business proposals to seek formal financing. “The country’s food safety measures are also not aligned with international standards, making it difficult to move agricultural commodities between Nepal and its trade partners, with exporters facing significant delays and higher transaction costs due to multiple food safety tests on both sides of the border,” said the ADB. The ADB said that Food Safety and Agriculture Commercialisation Programme, comprised of a two-tranche, standalone policy-based loan, will improve food safety and quality monitoring systems in Nepal, particularly in enhancing the regulatory and institutional capacity for sanitary and phytosanitary monitoring. This will include alignment with accepted standards for pesticide residue levels for fruits and vegetables, among others. The programme will promote agricultural commercialisation by supporting the preparation of bankable business plans for selected commodities to widen farmers’ access to finance and business knowledge, while building their capacity in good agricultural practices. Institutional capacity of relevant government authorities will be enhanced to ensure sustainability of progress in the agriculture sector.