Kathmandu, February 9

The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD) is set to recommend Chitra Bahadur Shrestha as the chairman of the yet-to-be-formed National Farmers’ Commission (NFC) to the government.

Shrestha is the coordinator of National Farmers’ Network and chairman of All Nepal Peasants Federation (Revolutionary).

Of the two applications that MoAD received for the post of NFC’s chairmanship, the MoAD analysing committee decided today to recommend Shrestha as NFC’s chairman. “MoAD will forward the proposal to appoint Sherstha as chairman of NFC in the next Cabinet meeting,” said Kashi Nath Dahal, joint-secretary at MoAD.

The Cabinet, a few weeks ago, had issued an executive directive to MoAD to form the National Farmers’ Commission. Though MoAD had already prepared National Farmers’ Commission and Operation Order, 2073, it had failed to form the organisation as such.

“NFC will come into existence as soon as Shrestha gets appointed as the chief of the organisation. MoAD will soon finalise other six members in the NFC out of a number of membership applications MoAD has received,” added Dahal.

As per the National Farmers’ Commission and Operation Order, 2073, the primary function of NFC is to study and analyse every aspect of Nepal’s agriculture sector and give suggestions to the government on required agriculture policies, laws and programmes. NFC will also be responsible to boost commercial farming in the country and recommend the government on necessary measures to achieve agricultural targets and goals.

Similarly, the National Farmers’ Commission and Operation Order also mandates NFC to crosscheck whether or not the current agricultural subsidies being doled out are reaching actual farmers and submit a report on it to MoAD. NFC will also have to work on ways to increase access of farmers to the market, increase their technological awareness, and protect their rights and interests.

The National Farmers’ Commission and Operation Order also envisions the formation of NFC’s units in all 75 districts of the country and developing a concrete report/database of Nepal’s agriculture industry.