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The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment have agreed to work together to integrate irrigation infrastructure development with agricultural production.

During a meeting held at the Ministry of Energy on Tuesday, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary discussed advancing irrigation, agricultural production, agriculture extension services and agricultural marketing under a single integrated plan.

During the discussion, Minister Shrestha said his ministry had been making significant investments to expand irrigation facilities to farmers' fields.

He, however, said that the full benefits of these investments could only be realised if they were complemented by the timely availability of improved seeds, fertilisers, modern technology, technical support and effective marketing of agricultural produce.

He proposed that irrigation and agriculture programmes should be implemented as an integrated plan beyond ministerial boundaries.

Responding positively to the proposal, Minister Chaudhary said the two ministries would strengthen coordination in policy formulation, programme selection and implementation in the days ahead.

Earlier, Energy Minister Shrestha had conducted on-site inspections of major irrigation projects in western Nepal.

He inspected the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project, Sikta Irrigation Project, Babai Irrigation Project and the Rajapur Irrigation System, where he interacted with farmers, project chiefs and technical officials.

The under-construction Babai Irrigation Project in Bardiya aims to provide year-round irrigation to around 36,000 hectares of agricultural land across six local levels in the district.

Likewise, the Rani-Jamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project in Kailali is expected to extend irrigation facilities to approximately 37,800 hectares of farmland.

Similarly, the Sikta Irrigation Project under construction in Banke is being developed to provide reliable irrigation to 42,766 hectares of cultivable land.

Around half of the construction work on these projects has already been completed. With the expansion of main canals, branch and sub-branch canals, embankments, reservoirs and lift irrigation systems, farmers have gradually begun to benefit directly.

The government expects that once these projects are fully completed, they will significantly increase agricultural production and productivity in western Nepal, strengthen food security, raise farmers' incomes and generate long-term positive impacts on the rural economy.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the irrigation projects are not merely infrastructure initiatives but are being developed as foundations for agricultural modernisation, expansion of commercial farming and rural prosperity.