Kathmandu, August 5, 2025
In a significant move to enhance Nepal’s agricultural data systems, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in collaboration with Nepal’s National Statistics Office (NSO), has launched a five-day Technical Workshop on the Commercial Vegetable Survey Listing Framework & Methodology. The workshop, which began on August 4, 2025, marks a pivotal step toward conducting the first national vegetable survey since 2010.
The event brings together statisticians, agricultural experts, and technical officials to design a comprehensive framework aimed at capturing accurate and disaggregated data on commercial vegetable production across the country. This initiative is expected to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and support the transformation of Nepal’s food systems.
Delivering opening remarks, Mr. Arun GC, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), emphasized the need for robust agricultural data in order to guide sustainable development in the sector. Dr. Sharad Kumar Sharma, Deputy Chief Statistician at NSO, along with Mr. Dhundiraj Lamichhane, Deputy Chief Statistics Officer and NSO Spokesperson, also stressed the importance of timely and reliable statistics in shaping effective agricultural strategies.
Adding further insight, Mr. Padam Prasad Adhikari from the National Potato, Vegetable and Spice Crop Development Center pointed out that quality data is essential not only for national planning but also for addressing regional disparities and supporting farmer-centric programs.
Key discussions in the workshop include developing standardized methodologies, identifying commercial vegetable farming pockets, refining listing tools, and establishing rigorous quality assurance mechanisms tailored to Nepal’s diverse agro-ecological landscape.
This workshop signals a renewed commitment by national and international stakeholders to modernize agricultural statistics and ensure data-driven decision-making, especially in the context of growing climate challenges and evolving food security concerns.
As Nepal moves forward with its first national vegetable survey in over a decade, this foundational workshop is expected to shape the future of agricultural research, production planning, and rural development.
