Agricultural land
26.1%Reference year · 2024Total land area, excluding inland water bodies.
Arable land, permanent crops and permanent pastures as a share of land area.
World Bank sourceCountry context · Asia
Nepal: agriculture in context.
Nepal is part of WFA’s founding network. Agricultural employment and value added both have a substantial place in the country’s economy, connecting practical learning with rural livelihoods.
Employment in agriculture
22.9%Reference year · 2025Share of total employment.
Employment in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing as a share of all employment; modeled ILO estimate.
World Bank sourceAgriculture value added
21.6%Reference year · 2025Share of gross domestic product (GDP).
Value added from agriculture, forestry and fishing as a share of GDP; value added deducts intermediate inputs from output.
World Bank sourcePart of WFA’s founding network
Nepal was among the 27 countries and territories named in WFA’s founding initiative. The association’s first international conference took place on 15–16 December 2022 in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China.
The founding network connected agricultural communities across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas around cooperation, practical knowledge and farmer livelihoods.
Understand the agricultural figures
The figures above describe land use, work and primary production. Agricultural land includes permanent pasture as well as arable land and permanent crops. Employment covers agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing and uses a modeled ILO estimate.
The land-use figure is from 2024; employment and value added are from 2025. Each percentage has a different denominator: land area, total employment or GDP. Value added deducts intermediate inputs from output; it is a share of the economy, rather than a growth rate or measure of farm income.
Food manufacturing, distribution and retail can create additional work and value outside the agriculture category. Following those activities helps explain how primary production connects with the wider food economy.
Make agricultural learning useful locally.
Nepal’s agricultural employment and value-added shares make practical learning relevant to both work and enterprise. A useful exchange begins with a clearly defined farm task and the conditions behind an example: soil, season, access to inputs, labour and cost. Explaining those details helps a farmer judge whether an unfamiliar technique can fit an existing production system.
Demonstrations can compare current practice with a manageable trial, record the results and discuss unintended effects. Advice becomes easier to use when it includes maintenance, recurring costs and the route from production to a buyer. National averages frame the conversation; local observations give it the detail needed for a decision.
Explore Nepal’s wider context
The linked World Bank country profile brings together economic, social and environmental information. Read the historical series alongside recent experience from farmers, producer organizations, researchers and public agencies. Together, they can help define the resources, skills, costs and market requirements behind a local agricultural decision.