KOICA to invest USD 12 million in climate-resilient rice production project in Nepal’s Terai

Kathmandu / June 18: The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has committed USD 12 million in grant assistance for a six-year project aimed at improving climate-resilient rice production and boosting agricultural productivity in Nepal’s Terai region.

According to KOICA, the project titled “Climate-Resilient Rice Production and Productivity Increase in the Terai Region of Nepal (CRRPPI-T)” will be implemented from 2026 to 2031 in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment (MoAFE), along with the provincial governments of Lumbini and Sudurpashchim.

A Record of Discussion (RoD) for the project was signed on Wednesday by KOICA Nepal Country Director Mooheon Kong and MoAFE Joint Secretary Dr. Hari Bahadur KC in the presence of ministry and provincial government officials.

KOICA said the project, described as its largest bilateral initiative in Nepal and the biggest ongoing international cooperation project in the country’s agriculture sector, will be implemented in Banke, Bardiya, Dang and Kapilvastu districts of Lumbini Province, and Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Sudurpashchim Province.

The initiative aims to strengthen Nepal’s food security by increasing rice productivity through climate-smart farming practices, improved rice seed systems, better post-harvest management and expanded market opportunities for farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.

The project will be carried out with technical support from the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), with a particular focus on developing and distributing climate-resilient rice varieties suited to Nepal’s changing climate conditions.