Aagya Khabar
Janakpurdham

Despite being known as the “grain basket of Nepal,” the fields across Madhesh Province remain largely barren even as the Nepali month of Asar ends. The ongoing drought and lack of irrigation have severely hampered paddy transplantation, with only 36 percent of the work completed across the province by the end of Asar this year.

In contrast, 61 percent of paddy plantation had been completed by this time last year. Historically, an average of 75 percent of paddy transplantation is usually done by the end of Asar. However, the current year paints a drastically different picture — barring a few irrigated areas, the majority of fields have yet to receive a single paddy seedling.

Normal Monsoon, Unfulfilled Hopes

A monsoon system that became active last Monday night was expected to bring sufficient rainfall to the eastern Terai. Unfortunately, the rain failed to arrive in most parts of Madhesh.
While scattered rain was reported in Bara and Parsa districts, other areas in the province continue to edge toward disaster.
Meteorologist Ujjwal Upadhyay remarked, “There is currently very little chance of significant rainfall.”
Another expert, Dharmaraj Upreti, also confirmed that there are no signs of a strong monsoon system developing at least until Sunday.

Not Just Farming — Drinking Water Also in Crisis

The drought has affected more than just agriculture. With wells, hand pumps, and natural water sources drying up in many villages, local residents are now being forced to travel long distances in search of drinking water.
The situation is growing increasingly alarming by the day.

Drought Declaration Raises Concern

With the situation deteriorating rapidly, the Madhesh Province Government has officially declared the region as drought-affected. However, in the absence of concrete relief measures or alternative support programs, farmers’ distress appears to be worsening.

Food Security at Risk — A Grim Forecast for the Future

Agricultural experts are now warning that if the region does not receive adequate rainfall within the next one to two weeks, the province could face one of the sharpest declines in rice production in its history.
Given that Madhesh is Nepal’s leading rice-producing region, such a drop in output could significantly impact national food security.