Agriculture contributes nearly 24% to Nepal’s GDP and provides a livelihood for more than 60% of its population. The country’s rich geographic and agro-ecological diversity, from fertile plains to high mountain regions, supports a wide range of crops, including high-value niche products with strong export potential. However, this potential is increasingly threatened by pests and plant diseases, compounded by climate change, land-use changes, and shifting dietary patterns. These pressures are straining Nepal’s ability to safeguard its biodiversity and traditional farming systems.
Nepal also faces significant challenges in meeting international phytosanitary standards. Key gaps include limited pest surveillance and risk analysis systems, weak data management for plant health, and insufficient laboratory diagnostic capacity. As a result, the country has faced repeated export restrictions on products such as citrus fruits, medicinal and aromatic plants (including large cardamom and Nepalese pepper, and indigenous crops like horse gram and buckwheat.
This PPG aims to develop a detailed project proposal to address persistent challenges identified in a 2022 Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) led by Nepal's NPPO, with the goal of strengthening Nepal's phytosanitary capacity, particularly for citrus, medicinal and aromatic plants, and indigenous food products intended for export. Building from the evaluation, this project will aim to strengthen Nepal's SPS legal and institutional frameworks, improve pest surveillance, risk analysis, and capacity building to ensure credible phytosanitary certification.
