KATHMANDU: Nepal could significantly reduce its dependence on imported chemical fertilizers within three years by scaling up domestic organic, bio-based and biochar fertilizer production, researchers and producers have said.
Twenty companies presented their innovations, production capacity, farming practices and expansion plans at a programme organized by the Federal Parliament’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday.
Researchers and producers presented evidence that locally developed technologies could help replace imported chemical fertilizers without reducing agricultural output, while also restoring soil health damaged by excessive chemical fertilizer use.
Participants said domestic organic and bio-based fertilizer producers have long struggled for policy support as government subsidies and supply chains have largely favored imported chemical fertilizers. Despite these challenges, several producers have reported promising results using locally developed technologies and traditional practices.
Experts attending the programme said Nepal has the technical and entrepreneurial capacity to build a domestic fertilizer industry if the government provides appropriate policy, investment and market support.
The discussions also highlighted the potential of organic and bio-based fertilizers to improve soil health, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen food security.
Participants said Nepal could gradually shift toward a more sustainable agricultural system while maintaining productivity, creating a foundation for fertilizer self-reliance and reducing the country’s dependence on imported chemical inputs.
