In 2011-12, female-headed households in Nepal, where an adult female was the sole or main income earner and decision-maker, were just 19 percent.

According to the latest agriculture census, female-headed holdings nearly doubled to 32.4 percent in 10 years. This means 1.33 million women head households in Nepal.

Lured by foreign employment, men are no longer seen in agricultural fields. Farming and looking after the household has become a part of women’s responsibility in many places.

In Nepal, one cause of food insecurity is declining food production, as young people, particularly males, are unwilling to engage in agricultural activities because of low income. As a result, the country is undergoing rapid changes in agricultural practices, particularly the increasing trend of feminisation of agriculture.

“Men mostly led the farm sector, which was believed to be the man’s world. But things are different now,” said Purnamaya Adhikari Timilsina, manager of the Small Farmer Agriculture Cooperatives at Kathar, Khairhani municipality-10.

“Due to massive male migration, women have broadened and deepened their involvement in agricultural work but only in some areas.”

“Now, in our village, many women have become entrepreneurs because of easy and hassle-free finance availability.”

“We started a cooperative in 2004 with 47 members. Initially, we extended loans of Rs100,000 to Rs500,000 to our members—who are only women. Many have opened beauty parlours. We have invested in building agriculture stores, provided training to make sweaters and clothes, and invested in other business activities,” said Timilsina.

“Now, we provide loans of up to Rs1.5 million to women.”

Her cooperative members have grown to 1,835 in the past two decades.

The Post met with a few women entreprenuers on the plains in southern Chitwan, where women are leading an extraordinary transformation.

Among many projects women undertake, one is the rice mill, the first of its kind in Nepal, owned and operated by women.

“We decided to scale up our operation. And hence, the rice mill was conceptualised,” said Timilsina.

On March 30 last year, the mill started operation with an investment of Rs50 million, of which Rs20 million was lent by Sana Kisan Bikas Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha, formerly known as Sana Kisan Bikas Bank, a wholesale lending microfinance institution.

This is just an example of how access to financial resources can help women be entrepreneurs.

The mill was operated for a reason.

“In the absence of men, we took over agriculture. Selling paddy was indeed difficult for us. We had to go to the market, travelling a long distance and we did not get a fair price,” said Kamala Bhandari, one of the members of the cooperative.

Bhandari, who owns one bigha (6,772 sq. metres), earns Rs150,000 selling paddy from two different harvests—spring and summer.

“We sell our paddy to the mill. The mill gives us Rs100 extra per quintal to the minimum support price announced by the government. Farmers do not have to travel long distances to sell paddy. The mill has become a boon to all.”

Until two years ago, paddy farmers had plenty of complaints.

Due to the porous border between Nepal and India, the market was flooded with cheap imported rice, leaving farmers without buyers and jeopardising the local rice sector.

When men went abroad, the market was flooded with imported rice, and women were increasingly facing difficulties due to labour-intensive farming practices and, in many cases, abandoning their agricultural lands. As a result, there was a reduction in food production.

In a remarkable response to the crisis, the women’s group entered the venture in Chitwan. The mill purchased paddy in the village and made non-steam rice, saving the local rice chain from collapse.

Their collective mission has been to promote locally sourced, fresh and nutritious rice, effectively revitalising and safeguarding the local rice industry.

Before the mill was established, Bhandari didn’t receive a fair price. “Now, the rate is assured. This year, the mill fixed Rs42 per kg for the common paddy.”

The mill’s importance is that the women’s market is assured. The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation project provides technical know-how to grow crops, including paddy.

Timilsina claims that the economic condition of many women is improving. “Nearly 75 percent of our members are from the indigenous community, and 5 percent are Dalits. They work hard all day long. We are happy that we can speak up for women's rights.”

“Our members have come to a stage where they can do business. They can make their own money. They can help their families, educate their children, and send them abroad.”

Anisha Chaudhary, an accountant at the mill, said business has been growing. “This year, we have purchased paddy worth Rs8.4 million. We give Rs100 per quintal more than the market price.”

This year, the price of ‘masino’ paddy has been fixed at Rs42 per kg while the Sabitri variety can be bought at Rs36 per kg.

“However, due to the lack of manpower to load and unload [sacks], we are having some difficulties with the purchase,” said Chaudhary.

“We don’t have a contract with farmers, but we collect data in advance for our requirement in a season.”

According to Chaudhary, women farmers witnessed a few changes after opening the mill. First, the market and price were assured. Second, farmers wouldn’t have to sell their crops on credit; third, they wouldn’t have to travel a long distance to sell their crops.

The mill produces 100 sacks (25 kg and 30 kg) of rice daily. The price of ‘masino’ rice has been fixed at Rs90 per kg and ‘mota’ at Rs65 per kg to Rs75 per kg.

“This year, we aim to buy paddy worth Rs40 million.”

Chaudhary said that in urban areas, people prefer to eat long and fine-grain rice. “We supply the rice to hills and mountain regions, mostly in Nawalparasi, Dhading, and Makwanpur. Due to the low prices, we could not meet last year's demand.”

In 2019, the Asian Development Bank approved a $50 million loan to promote rural entrepreneurship in Nepal. The government distributes the ADB loan to small farmers through the Sana Kisan Bikas Laghubitta Bittiyasanstha Ltd. According to the ADB, the project supports about 500 small farmers (at least 30 percent of them women) with loans of up to Rs5 million.

“We’re particularly proud of the project’s strong focus on gender equity. A key aspect of the project is empowering enterprises led by women and marginalised groups through access to finance, technical training, and leadership roles, allowing them to contribute to rural economic transformation,” said Arnauld Cauchois, country director of Asian Development Bank.