Written by: Prashiddhi Dangol - 28009, Grade VII
Posted on: 07 February, 2023
Agriculture is arguably one of the major sectors in the Nepalese economy. Its importance has been growing in the country for thousands of years. Over the years, it has been able to develop more advanced techniques to replace almost all the traditional methods of agriculture. Besides, in our country, there are still many who use old conventional methods of agriculture because they need more resources like capital to grow and to use modern methods. So, this is the main and only sector that contributes to the growth of itself and another sector of the country.
Nepal's economy mostly depends on the agricultural sector. Also, agriculture is not only a means of earning a living but also a way of life in Nepal. Besides, the government is trying to develop this sector in particular as our nation depends on it for food.
Even though we have been practising agriculture for thousands of years, it has remained underdeveloped for a long time. Also, earlier we used to depend blindly on the monsoon season to cultivate foodstuffs, but now we have been able to construct dams, canals, and wells. Furthermore, we have been able to develop a better variety of fertilisers, pesticides, seeds, etc. that help us grow more food and crops compared to the olden times.
Although agriculture is a beneficial source for the economy and the citizens of a country, there are still some negative effects too. These effects are harmful to the environment and the people involved in it.
Deforestation is one of the negative results of agriculture, as many forests have been etched just so they could be turned into agricultural land for farming. Likewise, the usage of river water for irrigation causes many rivers to perch, which disturbs the natural habitat.
Due to the advancement of technology, we have been able to improve agriculture as a whole. Besides, our agriculture sector has been growing stronger every day. Overall, agriculture has been able to drastically increase its significance compared to previous years, and we should appreciate the hard work that is done by the farmers for that and realise that food is actually a gift of nature.
