by Shishir Vaidya | Jul 1, 2024 | Agriculture, Data Stories
The Census of Agriculture 2021/22 has reported 4,130,789 holdings including 3,999,285 holdings with land and 131,504 holdings without land in Nepal. The first Census of Agriculture 1961/62 reported 1540 thousand holdings in Nepal. The number increased to 3360 thousand in 2001/02. It has further increased to 4130 thousand in 2021/22. Over a 60-year period, there has been a huge growth of 168 percent in the number of holdings. The total area of holdings increased from 1680 thousand hectares in 1961/62 to 2650 thousand hectares in 2001/02.
However, there has been a continuous decrease in the area under cultivation since 2011/12. The area has decreased from 2520 thousand hectares to 2220 thousand hectares in the last 10 years as shown by last two censuses (2011/12-2021/22). Despite 8 percent increase in the number of holdings, there has been 12 percent decrease in the total area of holdings during the last two censuses. The area under holdings increased by only 32 percent over the sixty-year period though the number of holdings increased by 168 percent during the same period. The recent trend of the last two censuses shows a discrepancy as the number of holdings increased by 8 percent, but the total area of holdings decreased by 12 percent. These trends suggest changes in agricultural practices, land use, or economic factors influencing farming in Nepal over the years. It requires further analysis to understand the factors driving these trends and their implications for the agricultural sector in Nepal.
When examining land use patterns across the provinces of Nepal, Koshi Province emerges with the highest total area of holdings and then followed by by Madhes Province, Lumbini Province, Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province, Sudurpaschim Province, and Karnali Province. This sequence is also observed in the distribution of agricultural land. Notably, Madhes Province stands out with the largest area of arable land, constituting approximately one-fourth of Nepal’s total arable land. The remaining provinces show a consistent pattern, with Karnali Province having the smallest share. Detailed information on land utilization across these provinces is provided in the subsequent tables, with a comprehensive insight into the diverse agricultural landscapes within the country.
The information from the Census of Agriculture 2021/22 focuses on the categorization of land into wet land and dry land, indicating changes in their respective areas over the past 10 years. The Census of Agriculture 2021/22 result has shown 1,429,981 hectare of wet and 788,429 hectare of dry land out of the 2,218,410 hectare of total land. As the total land has decreased, wet and dry land has also decreased by 10 and 16 percent respectively as compared to the previous census.
Overall, this information provides insight into the changing dynamics of land use in Nepal, particularly in terms of wet and dry land, emphasizing the need for further analysis to understand the underlying causes and potential implications for the agricultural sector and beyond.
According to the recent agriculture census 2021/22, 2,218,409.9 hectares of land were operated by agriculture holdings. 95.6 percent (2.12 million hectares) of the total land was used for agriculture. 80.7 thousand hectares were covered with forest and other wooded land, showing a significant increase of 46.9 percent compared to the previous Census of Agriculture. 12.9 thousand hectares were used for ponds, which is more than three times the previous census. The remaining 3.2 thousand hectares were classified as other land, either unused or underdeveloped but potentially usable for agricultural activities with some more human effort.
The majority of agricultural land, 1,730.9 thousand hectares, was used for temporary crops as shown by the Census of Agriculture 2021/22. The area under permanent crops was 145.4 thousand hectares, indicating a decrease in both the areas of temporary and permanent crop. Over the last ten years, there has been a decrease in the land used for temporary crops by 392,316 hectares (18.5%) and for permanent crops by 23,093 hectares (13.7%). The land under temporarily fallow has almost doubled, reaching more than sixty thousand hectares in the 2021/22 census. This information provides insights into the changing scenario of land use, with shift in areas allotted to different types of crops and other land uses.
Arable land in Nepal occupies approximately 1.803 million hectares (12 percent) of the total land area of 14718 thousand hectares in 2021/22. Madhesh Province reported the largest arable land area, totaling 437,203 hectares and is followed by Koshi Province (398,773 hectares). Karnali Province reported the lowest proportion of arable land, amounting to 96,934 hectares.
The historical trends in land distribution over the past 60 years reveal a consistent pattern across the various types of land, including total holdings, agriculture land, and arable land. Notably, when there is a decrease in the area of holdings, there is a corresponding decline in both agriculture land and arable land. Conversely, from 1971/72 to 1981/82, there was an overall increase in all types of land. However, from that point onward, there has been a continuous and notable decrease in land areas. The most significant decline occurred in the last decade, spanning from 2011/12 to 2021/22.
Source: National Sample Census of Agriculture Nepal, 2021/22
by Shishir Vaidya | Jul 1, 2024 | News & Events
Nepal Child Labour Report 2021 reveals that 1.1 million children (15.3%) are engaged in child labour. The report on child labour is the second national and comprehensive report on child labour in Nepal that the International Labour Organization (ILO) Nepal has published in collaboration with the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). It is prepared on the basis of Nepal Labour Force Survey 2017/18. The disaggregated data on child labour and its sectoral dimensions provide great scope through various indicators for the users at the national and provincial levels. The report includes detailed statistical information on child labour and its associated characters. The results play a key role in planning, monitoring and evaluation of development programs related to the elimination of child labour carried out by three tiers of the government. The findings from the report will be instrumental in the monitoring of the fifteenth periodic plan, provincial and local level plans, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other development initiatives.
Major findings of the report are summarized below:
- Among seven million children (total children) between the ages of 5 and 17 in Nepal, 1.1 million children (15.3%) were found to be engaged in child labour which is a significant decline in child labour in comparison to 2008 (1.6 million).
- The child labour prevalence for children between age of 5 and 13 years is 18% while it is 10% for the children between age of 14 and 17.
- Female children are more likely to be engaged in child labour (17%) than that of male children (14%).
- Child labour is the highest in Karnali (24.6%) followed by Sudurpashchim (20.9%), Province 1 (17.6%), Gandaki (16.1%), Lumbini (15.8%), Province 2 (11.5%), and the lowest in Bagmati (8.9%).
- The child labour prevalence is higher in rural areas (20.4%) than that of urban areas (12.1%).
- Among the total children engaged in child labour, about 87% are engaged in the agriculture sector while 13% are in other sectors.
- The highest child labour prevalence is found among Dalit (19.4%), followed by Janajati (18.1%), Brahmin/Chhetri (14.5%), Terai caste (12.7%), Muslim and other caste categories (12.8%) and the lowest is among Newar (9.9%).
- The sectors with the highest child labour were found in ‘own-use production’ (13.2%) followed by elementary occupation (1.3%), service and sales worker (1.2%), skilled/ semi-skilled agriculture occupation (1%), crafts and trade workers (0.5%), and plant and machine operators (0.1%).
- Child labour figure amounts to 14.1% for children attending school while it is 25.1% for children not attending school.
- ChildrenworkingaschildlabourersearnedNPR3116perweekwhichisNepaliRupees (NPR) 959 more than that of the working children not in child labour (NPR 2157).
- Among occupations, children engaged in the elementary occupation earned higher average weekly wages (NPR 3379) followed by craft and trade workers (NPR 2980), plant and machine operators (NPR 2527, skilled/semi-skilled workers in agriculture (NPR 2377) and service and sales workers (NPR 2078).
- Children engaged in child labour worked an average of 15 hours per week while working children not in child labour worked for 10 hours per week. The maximum hours per week for children engaged in child labour is more than double (96 hrs) of those not involved as child labour (36 hrs).
- About 0.2 million (3.2%) children are found to engage in hazardous work which is a significant decline in comparison to 2008 (0.62 million). More males (3.7%) are engaged in such work in comparison to females (2.6%).
- The highest number of children working in the hazardous sector is from Lumbini (4%) followed by Province 1 (3.9%), Province 2 (3.4%), Gandaki (3.1%), Bagmati (3.1%), Karnali (1.9%), and Sudurpashchim (1.4%).
- There is a higher prevalence of children from urban areas (3.3%) compared to rural areas (2.9%) in the hazardous sector.
- About 62.3% of the children engaged in hazardous work come from the agriculture sector while 37.7% come from other sectors.
- About 74% of children engaged in the informal sector work in hazardous conditions.
- Childlabourprevalenceis4.4%forparentswithatleasttheintermediateleveleducation followed by secondary level (grade 9 and 10) education (10.4%) and lower secondary
level (grade 6, 7 and 8) education (12.9%).
- Children of unemployed household head has the highest prevalence (21.4%) of child labour followed by the household head who works in their family business (18.7%), are employed (14.5%) and self-employed (14.2%), respectively.
- Female headed households have higher child labour prevalence (16.4%) compared to male headed households (14.7%).
- The percentage of children engaged in child labour decreases as the wealth index increases – the first, second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles of the wealth index are about 25%, 18%, 16%, 10% and 5%, respectively. This indicates the importance of increasing household income in reducing the prevalence of child labour.
- Results from the empirical analysis indicate that a number of factors influence the likelihood of children between the ages of 5 and 13, to be engaged in child labour and not attending school, such as having more number of siblings below 5, coming from subsistence households (not selling agriculture produce); and having to spend more time collecting water for household use. Children from educated households head, those receiving remittances; living in urban region; and from a higher wealth/asset index are less likely to engage in child labour and more likely to go to school.
- As for children between the ages of 14 and 17, the results from empirical analysis indicate that a number of factors influence the likelihood of them engaging in child labour and not attending school such as having more number of siblings below age 5; parents engaged in hazardous occupations; and have at least an adult employed in family. However, children from larger family size, educated parents and wealthy household from urban region are less likely to work as child labour and more likely to attend school. source: Nepal Child Labor Report
by Shishir Vaidya | Jul 10, 2023 | Data Stories
We recently celebrated International Women’s Day with the official theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” on 8th of March 2023. For 113 year’s March 8 is being celebrated as International Women’s Day. Quality participation, assured representation, empowerment, leadership development, equality are terminologies used generally in favor of women. In the current age of information and technology,
equal participation of women in all social sector is important. Gender equality will be a nightmare without this.
What is the real situation of women in Nepal?
Women in Nepal are still under privileged. Information and data below will elaborate the real situation of women in Nepal. According to department of National Personnel Records (Civil), out of total number of civil servants i.e., 88,657, only 26.58 percent are women (up to Ashad 31 2077/78). Ten years back it was only 13.84 percent. Data shows that number of women in civil service is growing continuously.
Nepal Police website reveals that women’s participation in Nepal Police is very low. Out of total Police personnel recruited only 10.97 percent are women. According to Nepal Medical Council data, (till 31 December 2022) out of total Doctors registered in MBBS and BDS, only 37.48 percent are Women. Similarly, only 29.46 percent specialized doctors are women. According to National Economic Census 2018, Analytical Report on Women in Business; women’s participation in decision making level in the private sector is just 29.61 percent. While women’s participation in the cooperative sector is high (51%). As per Nepal Rastra Bank data, women’s participation in Banking and financial sector is higher than other sectors. Out of total personnel’s working in banking and financial sector 39.78 percent are recorded as women. ‘Female Journalist in Nepal’, A study conducted by Sancharika Samuha reveals that only 25 percent journalist around the country are women. Out of this 47.8 percent work in FM Radio and only 11 percent are in editorial leadership.
Nepal is known as agriculture-based country; however, the contribution of the agricultural sector to economy is declining. The contribution of agriculture, industry and service sector to the total value addition of FY 2020/21 was 23.9 percent, 14.3 percent and 61.8 percent respectively. In the current FY 2021/22, the total value addition in agriculture, industry and services sector are estimated to increase by 2.3 percent, 8.1 percent and 6.6 percent respectively. Until 2001 AD economically active women involved in agriculture sector were 76 percent (Census 2001).But 2011 census revealed growth in this number to 77 percent. In 2017 percentage of economically active women engaged in agriculture reached 84 percent. Yearly increase in percentage of women in agriculture is due to increasing number in foreign employment of male members. Which is a big threat to Nepal’s economy. However, census results show that number of women in foreign employment is growing rapidly.
Looking in to the Government budget of Nepal, the government have been adopting gender responsive budgeting system. (Economic Survey 2021/22) The share of direct gender responsive budget in the total budget has surged from 11.34 percent in FY 2007/08 to 39.49 percent in FY 2021/22.
According to Census 2021 51.04 percent of Nepal’s population are Female and gender ratio 95.59. Gender ratio resembles number of males out of hundred females. Central Bureau of Statistics initiated Gender ratio calculation only from 5th census. Similarly, questionnaire regarding gender participation in various social and economic activities was developed only from census 2058. Such questionnaire included women’s right to property, gender participation in agriculture and other economic activities, social inclusion etc. As per census 2021 overall, 23.8 percent of the total households have ownership of land or a housing unit or both (land & housing unit) in the name of female household member. The percentage of the households with female ownership of both land and housing unit is only 11.8 percent, which is an increase of 1.1 percent point compared to that in 2011. Similarly, overall, 31.55 percent of the total households (6,666,937) are headed by female, which is an increase of 5.82 percent points since 2011.
The census 2021 shows that median age at first marriage is 21 years for male and 18 years for female. 34.4percent (Male:32.6%andFemale:35.9%) of the ever- married population aged 10 years and above had their first marriage between the ages of 18 and 20. Similarly, 22.3 percent (Male: 12.3 %; Female: 30.4 %) of them got married for the first me in the ages between 15 to 17 years. Further, 7 percent (Male: 3.0 % and Female: 10.2 %) of them got married for the first time at the ages of 10-14 years.
The literacy rate of the country’s total population aged 5years and above is 76.2 percent in 2021 census. Male literacy rate is 83.6 percent while female literacy rate is 69.4 percent. In the 2011 census, overall literacy rate was 65.9 percent; while male literacy rate was 75.1 percent compared to female literacy rate of 57.4 percent.
The National Population Census 2021 shows that out of the total 12,976 female deaths from fertility age group (15-49 years) in the last 12 months preceding the day of enumeration, 653 (5 percent) deaths were related to pregnancy. Out of the pregnancy related deaths, 622 (95 percent) deaths were found to be maternal mortality by Verbal Autopsy conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population.
Constitution of Nepal provides a clear and comprehensive framework to end all forms of discrimination and inequality. Article 84 has provisioned at least one third of members of federal parliament to be women. Similarly, Article 176 has provisioned at least one third of members of the State Assembly to be women. Article 70 provisions President and Vice President to be from different sex or community. Article 91 provisions at least one woman among the Speaker and the Deputy speaker to House of Representatives should be women. Article 91 provisions at least one woman out of Chair and Vice chair of National Assembly. Article 182 provisions One woman out of State Speaker and Deputy State Speaker. Article 215 provisions at least four members of Village Executive Committee to be women. Article 216 provisions at least five members of the Municipal Executive to be Women. To Ensure Gender Equality and Women and Girls Empowerment Constitution of Nepal has formed a constitutional body; National Women Commission, through Article 252. National Women Commission works for establishing rights and interests of women. It monitors the implementation of laws and international treaties related to empowerment of girls and women.
We just participated in the local level elections on 2079/1/30 BS. There were 55698 women nominees in the elections held. Out of the total nominees 14465 women were elected as people’s representatives. Out of the total elected women three local governments had women as chairperson and vice chairperson. 25 including, 13 municipalities and 12 sub municipalities had women as Mayor. Similarly, 232 Deputy Mayors, 334 vice chair of different local bodies elected women as their representative. 69 women were elected as ward chair. Provincial classification of women’s representation shows that 2478 in Koshi Province, 2770 in Madhesh province, 2356 in Bagmati province, 1623 in Gandaki Province, 2131 in Lumbini Province, 1527 in Karnali Province and 1560 women were elected as people’s representative in Far western Province. Women’s representation has increased to 41.23 percent in the recent election of 2079. It was 40.96 percent in 2074 election. Similarly, results of election held on 2079/8/4 shows that federal parliament has 33.83 percent women and Provincial parliament has 36.36 percent women as people’s representative.
If we look in to history of Nepal’s election, i.e., 12 elections held since 2004 to 2079 BS, we can find significant growth in women’s representation. Before declaration of democracy Nepalese women were restricted to vote. After the establishment of democracy on 7th of Falgun 2007 BS, the first local election was held in Kathmandu on 17th of Bhadra 2010 BS. This election was first of its kind to give voting rights to women. Sadhana Devi Pradhan was the first elected people’s representative from ward no. 4 Kathmandu. Local level elections are political means to empower and enhance women’s participation. This helps to promote women’s participation in decision making process, quantitatively and qualitatively. However, Nepal’s constitution and related acts and regulations outline various rights in favor of women, it is still not fully in the position of implementation. Resulting very less representation of women in various sector. Thus, a continuous pressure and awareness campaign is must from women’s right activists.
by Shishir Vaidya | Dec 29, 2022 | News & Events
Remittance through labor migration contributes 20 percent of National GDP in average. But at what cost ? Data shows at the cost of more than thousand lives a year. Labor Migration data table below shows a hard to believe truth. Every year millions of youth migrate in search of labor and good living.
‘Labour migration has become one of the defining characteristics of Nepal’s socio-economic landscape. The size and fluctuation in migratory outflows are a result of a combination of economic and non-economic factors.13 Commonly cited push factors include insufficient access of the working-age population to productive economic opportunities and cultural factors like the societal pressure to migrate. Pull factors, on the other hand, include jobs with wage differentials and better amenities, social networks and opportunities for upward social and career mobility. Furthermore, as posited by the New Economics of Labour Migration,14 labour migration is also a household strategy for families to diversify their income sources to mitigate the impact of income volatility from agriculture and other informal sectors. As will be further expanded in this Chapter, labour migration is also shaped by migration-related policy interventions of both the labour sending and destination countries.’ (Nepal Labor Migration Report 2020)
Labor Migration an Outlook
| Fiscal year | Male | Female | Total | Remmitance (in billion NRs.) | Percentage of GDP | Deaths | Disability/Injury |
| 065/066 | 211371 | 8594 | 219965 | 209.7 | 21.2 | 78 | 8 |
| 066/067 | 284038 | 10056 | 294094 | 231.7 | 19.4 | 421 | 10 |
| 067/068 | 344300 | 10416 | 354716 | 253.6 | 18.5 | 564 | 31 |
| 068/069 | 361707 | 22958 | 384665 | 359.6 | 20.5 | 647 | 57 |
| 069/070 | 423122 | 27767 | 450889 | 434.6 | 22.3 | 772 | 90 |
| 070/071 | 498848 | 28966 | 527814 | 543 | 24.3 | 877 | 116 |
| 071/072 | 477690 | 21412 | 499102 | 617 | 25.5 | 1006 | 184 |
| 072/073 | 384797 | 18377 | 403174 | 665 | 25.5 | 826 | 117 |
| 073/074 | 363304 | 20189 | 383493 | 695 | 22.6 | 758 | 204 |
| 074/075 | 331665 | 22417 | 354082 | 755 | 21.9 | 826 | 361 |
| 075/076 | 215630 | 20578 | 236208 | 879.3 | 22.8 | 763 | 354 |
| 076/077 | 172247 | 18206 | 190453 | 875 | 22.4 | 672 | 205 |
| 077/078 | 64903 | 7178 | 72081 | 961.1 | 22.5 | 1243 | 143 |
| 078/079 | 580969 | 49128 | 630097 | 986 | - | 1479 | 245 |
| Total | 4714591 | 286242 | 5000833 | 8465.6 | | 10932 | 2125 |
Data Source: Foreign Employment Board Secreteriat
