Nepal Livestock Sector Innovation Project Completes Successful Six-Year Term

The Nepal Livestock Sector Innovation Project (NLSIP), financed by the World Bank and implemented under the Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development (MoALD), has successfully completed its six-year term. The project has significantly benefited over 235,000 individual farmers, 42% of whom are female, and approximately 1,400 producer organizations.

Key Achievements:

• Increased Productivity and Climate Resilience: The project boosted productivity, value addition, and climate resilience of smallholder farms and agro-enterprises in dairy, goat meat, and Chyangra fiber value chains across 289 municipalities in Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini provinces.
• Enhanced Regulatory Framework: NLSIP played a pivotal role in formulating the National Animal Health Policy and National Livestock Breeding Policy, both approved by the Cabinet in 2022. Drafts of the Infectious Animal Disease Control Act and Animal Welfare Act have also been prepared.
• Improved Animal Health: The national vaccination program supported by the project significantly reduced animal deaths due to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) by 63% and 88%, respectively, since 2018. The project also developed seven cold rooms with a combined capacity to store 5 million doses of vaccines, serving as provincial vaccine banks.

Infrastructure and Market Linkages:

• Modernized Service Delivery: The project modernized service delivery and promoted genetic improvement of livestock by importing six bulls from the United States and supporting the Pedigree Performance Recording System (PPRS).
• Support for Inclusive Value Chains: NLSIP provided matching grant support to 446 sub-projects, resulting in the establishment of the Pashmina Processing Facility, the first of its kind in Nepal.
• Strengthened Market Linkages: The project established and operated 54 infrastructures, including livestock markets, Livestock Service Centers, and seed processing facilities.

Statements from Key Figures:

• Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Jwala Kumari Sah: At the project’s closing ceremony, Minister Sah emphasized the need to institutionalize the project’s achievements, develop skilled human resources, and draft policies to protect and promote farmers and agro-businesses. “Today’s biggest challenge is to develop and mobilize skilled human resources to mitigate the impacts caused by climate change, mechanization, and intensive agricultural systems,” she stated.
• World Bank Operations Manager Lada Strelkova: “We congratulate the government for the successful implementation of the project and the medium- and long-term vision towards a resilient animal health and agrifood sector. We hope that with these foundational works, the government will internalize the project’s achievements and implement them at both the central and local levels, leading to long-term outcomes for the benefit of the people of Nepal.”

Looking Forward:

The government of Nepal has declared the current period as the ‘decade of agriculture,’ aiming to build on the success of the NLSIP. The project’s accomplishments are expected to be institutionalized and expanded, ensuring sustainable agricultural and livestock development across the country.