Kathmandu, January 31, 2025
Leaders from agribusiness, finance, and policy sectors convened in Kathmandu for Heifer International Nepal’s flagship event, “Unlocking Impact Investment in Agribusiness for Nepal.” The program focused on addressing challenges and exploring opportunities to attract impact investments, particularly for women-led cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nepal’s agribusiness sector.
Photo Source: FB Post of Heifer International Nepal
The discussions highlighted three core areas of focus:
1. Policy Reforms and Public-Private Partnerships: Experts emphasized the need for enabling policies and strategic collaborations to enhance access to affordable finance for agribusinesses.
2. Investment Readiness: Strategies to make Nepalese agribusinesses investment-ready were a key discussion point.
3. Blended Finance and Market Connectivity: Participants advocated for innovative blended finance models to expand credit access and connect farmers to formal markets.
Keynote Remarks and Insights
Dr. Gunakar Bhatta, Executive Director of Nepal Rastra Bank, underscored the central bank's commitment to shaping policies that support the agribusiness sector. Dr. Tirtha Raj Regmi, Country Director of Heifer Nepal, emphasized the importance of investing in farmers, stating, “Investing in farmers is investing in our shared future.”
Mr. Prakash Katwal, Access to Finance Lead at Heifer, shared findings from Heifer’s impact investment study. “This forum aims to connect stakeholders, empower communities, and attract sustainable investments into Nepal’s agribusiness sector,” he remarked.
Special addresses by Ms. Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for Asia at Heifer International, and Mr. Ashok SJB Rana, CEO of Himalayan Bank Limited, reinforced the critical role of blended finance in supporting smallholder farmers and women entrepreneurs.
Panel Discussion Highlights
A vibrant panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Ashutosh Tiwari, Managing Director of SAFAL Partners, brought together leading voices in the sector. Panelists included:
Pranjit Talukdar, Global Investment Programs Lead at Heifer Impact Capital
Sucharita Kamath, Regional Director for Asia at ANDE
Badri Kumar Guragain, CEO of Nepal Cooperative Bank Limited (NCBL)
Pratap Thapa, CEO of aQysta
Pramila Pandit, Chairperson of Adharshila SEW Cooperative
The discussion explored practical steps to unlock impact investments, with a strong focus on empowering smallholder farmers and women-led enterprises.
Paving the Way Forward
The event succeeded in fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, generating actionable insights to build a resilient and sustainable agribusiness ecosystem in Nepal. With a shared commitment to empowering farmers and cooperatives, participants charted a vision for attracting impactful and sustainable investments to drive growth in Nepal's agribusiness sector.
Ecosphere News will continue to track the developments in this vital area, recognizing its significance in fostering economic resilience and social equity in Nepal.
