Nepal local governments gain power to manage land
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration in Nepal authorized four rural municipalities. Satyawati, Madane, Dhurkot in Gulmi district, and Ribdikot in Palpa district, to create soil banks.
These banks will identify unused land, document it, and lease it to people who need it, including landless citizens, small farmers, Dalit communities, and low-income households.
The local governments will also supply seeds, fertilizer, technical support, and funding to those farming the leased land, choosing crops based on soil quality. This decision brings the total number of local governments permitted to establish soil banks to nine, following earlier approvals for municipalities in Tanahu, Baitadi, Sindhuli, Kaski, and Bajuraw. The government expects these soil banks to increase agricultural production, create employment, and strengthen the rural economy by making better use of available land.
The program involves landowners receiving profit from the leased land through a contractual agreement. The ministry hopes to ensure maximum land use through this initiative.
