Assessment of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Options in Nepal

The report identifies a pool of 147 potential CSA technologies for Nepal, categorizing them into water-smart, energy-smart, nutrient-smart, carbon-smart, weather-smart, and knowledge-smart interventions. Using climate analogue tools, the study maps the suitability of these options across the country, finding that districts like Nawalparasi are representative of the Terai region. Key findings indicate that precision nutrient and water management can significantly increase rice and wheat yields, while zero-tillage in wheat improves profitability despite potential yield decreases. The report argues that scaling out requires a combination of knowledge-transfer, market-based, public-private partnership, and community-based 'Climate-Smart Village' approaches, supported by an enabling environment including credit access and gender-responsive mechanization.

• Nepal's agriculture is predominantly rainfed and highly vulnerable to climatic risks, with national yields for rice, wheat, maize, and millet being less than half of the global average.
• The report identifies a comprehensive inventory of 147 potential CSA technologies, grouped into six 'smart' categories: water, energy, nutrient, carbon, weather, and knowledge.
• Climate analogue analysis shows that Nawalparasi district is representative of all Terai districts, with over 80% of paddy, wheat, maize, and millet areas sharing similar current climatic conditions.
• Meta-analysis of South Asian data indicates that precision nutrient and water management can increase rice yields by an average of 83% (2.42 ton/ha) and 23% (0.19 ton/ha) respectively.
• In pilot tests in Nepal, zero and minimum tillage for wheat resulted in yield decreases (ranging from -4.40% to -17.82%) but significantly increased profitability, with some combinations showing a 72% increase in profit.
• For maize in pilot sites, irrigation in rainfed areas and ginger intercropping provided the highest yield increases at 44.64% and 43.55% respectively.
• The report proposes four scaling-up pathways for CSA: a knowledge-transfer approach via extension services, a market-based approach involving the private sector, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and a community-based Climate-Smart Villages (CSVs) approach.
• Prioritization of CSA options was based on four pillars, with food security receiving the highest weight (40%) and mitigation the lowest (10%), as the latter is viewed as a co-benefit for a low-carbon nation.
• The study estimates that CSA options for paddy and wheat tested in Nawalparasi are suitable for 1,123 thousand hectares of paddy and 299 thousand hectares of wheat under current climate conditions.
• Future climate projections for 2030 suggest an increase in the area suitable for rice cultivation in hill areas and an expansion of the suitability of maize cultivation in the Nawalparasi analogue area.

APA

Khatri-Chhetri, A., Poudel, B., & Shirsath, P. B. (n.d.). Assessment of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Options in Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Assessment-of-CSA-in-Nepal_CCAFS-LI-BIRD-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Khatri-Chhetri, Arun, Bikash Poudel, and Paresh B Shirsath. Assessment of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Options in Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, n.d. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Assessment-of-CSA-in-Nepal_CCAFS-LI-BIRD-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Khatri-Chhetri |first1=Arun |last2=Poudel |first2=Bikash |last3=Shirsath |first3=Paresh B |title=Assessment of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Options in Nepal |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Assessment-of-CSA-in-Nepal_CCAFS-LI-BIRD-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{khatrichhetrindassessment, author = {Khatri-Chhetri, Arun and Poudel, Bikash and Shirsath, Paresh B}, title = {{Assessment of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Options in Nepal}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Assessment-of-CSA-in-Nepal_CCAFS-LI-BIRD-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }