Kathmandu, November 21
Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada says the government has targeted halving the ratio of people involved in agriculture within next 10 years.
He argues that involvement of less number of people is a must to make the country independent in agricultural products as it gives the space for mechanisation and commercialisation.
Interacting with sociologists at a function in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the Minister said, “When there is the involvement of two thirds population in agriculture, we cannot make the economy suitable for modern 21st century world. We have to reduce the ratio to one third within next 10 year.”
“Machanisation will replace the involvement of people. The replaced workers should be taken to other sectors,” he added, “However, establishing that agriculture is also a productive system when technologies held is quite a big challenge.”
Meanwhile, Khatiwada claimed Nepal was already independent in major crops if the distribution system was well managed.
“We cannot become independent in all products at once because the same land cannot be used to produce different crops,” he said, “We are independent in essential products.”
