National Irrigation Policy, 2080 (2023).

This National Irrigation Policy provides a comprehensive framework for expanding, modernizing, and sustainably managing Nepal's irrigation sector to improve agricultural productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods. The policy recognizes irrigation as a key driver of economic growth and social transformation, emphasizing year-round reliable irrigation services for cultivable land through coordinated action among the federal, provincial, and local governments. It also seeks to maximize the use of Nepal's water resources while ensuring equitable access and climate resilience.
The long-term vision is to achieve sustainable economic growth through increased agricultural production by ensuring reliable irrigation across cultivable land. The policy aims to expand year-round irrigation coverage, promote efficient water management, strengthen irrigation infrastructure, encourage private sector participation, and improve governance through better coordination, financing, monitoring, and legal reforms. It also emphasizes climate adaptation, environmental protection, and inclusive participation of women, marginalized communities, and water user groups in irrigation planning and management.
The policy outlines following strategies to achieve its objectives: 1. Prepare river basin-based long-term irrigation plans to optimize water resource use; 2. Establish sustainable financing mechanisms for irrigation through revenues from multipurpose water resource projects; 3. Prioritize multipurpose reservoirs, inter-basin water transfer, groundwater development, and innovative irrigation technologies; 4. Expand and sustainably manage groundwater resources alongside surface water use; 5. Improve irrigation system operation, maintenance, and cost recovery through volumetric water delivery and irrigation service fees; 6. Strengthen water user associations while promoting social inclusion, gender equality, and institutional capacity; 7. Designate highly productive irrigated areas as Special Irrigated Zones to discourage land fragmentation and non-agricultural land conversion; 8. Enhance coordination among federal, provincial, and local governments for irrigation development and agricultural productivity; 9. Integrate irrigation with agricultural development programs to maximize productivity and returns on investment; 10. Develop an integrated irrigation information and monitoring system to support planning, implementation, and performance evaluation; and 11. Promote climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable irrigation infrastructure supported by research, innovation, and climate adaptation measures.