Joint appeal for sustainable solution to chemical fertilizer shortage

Even today, the agricultural sector, which contributes 27 percent to the national economy and is linked to the livelihood of 66 percent of the total population, is always neglected and suffering from various problems. Proper management of basic commodities required for agriculture such as fertilizers, seeds, tools, irrigation, insurance, production value and market is linked to occupational safety. Easy supply of these basic commodities determines the volume of production.

As in the past, this year too, farmers across the country have been plagued by the severe shortage of chemical fertilizers during paddy cultivation, which is the main crop of Nepal. Farmers who are waiting for manure with false assurance from the government are still deprived of getting the required manure. The general peasantry is compelled to continue farming despite limited resources. . The Government of Nepal has allocated Rs. 11 billion budget seems to have been allocated. The annual increase in the budget for the purchase of manure but the problems of the farmers remain the same, which raises the question mark in the process of manure procurement and supply or managerial efficiency. There was high demand for manure from the very beginning of paddy sowing. Farmers have been forced to take to the streets despite the current epidemic due to the government's failure to deliver on its promises of manure supply.

Proper supply and storage of manure required for paddy and other crops is the natural responsibility of the state. It is an injustice to the agriculture sector and farmers to be inactive in importing manure and shortage of manure in the country. The country is in immediate crisis due to Covid-19 on the one hand and food crisis due to the decline in agricultural production on the other. An encouraging announcement by the state to double production next year is unlikely to succeed. In order to solve this problem seen in the agricultural sector, we draw the attention of the organizations working in the field of farmers' rights and food rights to the stakeholders as follows.

• Immediate supply and easy sale of essential fertilizers and agricultural inputs for the farmers.
• Long-term solutions to the shortcomings in the process of supply of fertilizers and agricultural inputs should be made easily accessible to the farmers at the time of need.
• Ensure credible bases for increasing agricultural production to ensure food production and storage.