Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said Wednesday that the government would prioritise the use of environment-friendly technology through the budget statement for the next fiscal year to achieve economic transformation with the aim of creating more jobs.

Speaking at a seminar entitled Promoting the Importance of Green Economy in Nepal, the finance minister hinted at facilitating the use of technology mainly in the agriculture sector. Khatiwada underscored the need to reduce the use of fertiliser and water and increase farmer incomes. “Technology-based farming practices are necessary to address the competing demand for land for farming,” he said.  

The government has planned to facilitate using adaptable, simple, cost-effective and affordable technology in the farm sector. Khatiwada stressed the need to integrate environmental conservation and the livelihoods of poor people.

The government has followed a policy to achieve the economic goals outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. A sustainable environment and the development of a social protection system for poverty alleviation are among the key factors identified by the SDGs.

Valerie Julliant, resident coordinator at the United Nations Development Programme—Nepal, said that the green movement had been reframing the concept of economic development globally. She stressed the need to revise the modality of economic development.

“The green movement that is closely connected with farming practices will reduce the cost of development in the long run,” said Julliant, adding that the use of chemicals in agricultural practices had helped raise the cost of health cure, mainly among marginalised people. As per UN statistics, a total of 24 million tonnes of food worth $7 billion is produced globally every day. The sector provides jobs to 2.5 billion people.

According to the participants, programmes to spread awareness among the people and collaboration between the government, policymakers and the private sector could help achieve the objective of a green Nepal.

“Developing partnership to increase the use of technology from within the network could help attain sustainable development,” said Khem Bahadur Pathak, chairman of the Small Farmers’ Development Bank.