The government has established a National Agriculture Research and Development Fund with an objective of launching agro research and development programmes for the overall development of the agricultural sector.

“The main objective of the fund is to launch priority programmes on full or partial grant that are proposed by the government, private, non government bodies and the civil society,” said Mahesh Acharya, minister for agriculture and cooperatives.

The chairman of the fund operation committee is secretary at the ministry of agriculture and cooperatives, and the members are joint secretary at the National Planning Commission, joint secretary of the finance ministry, one woman expert among those contributing in the development of the agro sector nominated by the ministry of agriculture and cooperatives, representatives of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries and representative of Nepal Agriculture Association.

A gazetted first class technical officer of the agriculture services nominated by the ministry of agriculture and cooperatives will be the member secretary of the fund.