The Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), organized a dissemination workshop on “Pathways and Priorities for Inclusive, Resilient, Low-Carbon Development and Climate Finance” in Kathmandu today. The event disseminated findings from the CGIAR initiative Future Food Systems, aligned with the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action (COP28).
The workshop brought together representatives from government agencies, including the National Planning Commission, Central Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, alongside development partners, researchers, and academia. Discussions focused on pathways for advancing Nepal’s climate-resilient and low-carbon development agenda through evidence-based planning and policy dialogue.
The study employed IFPRI’s dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model calibrated to Nepal’s 2022 Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) to examine interactions across agriculture, energy, and transport sectors under two scenarios: a Business-as-Usual (BAU) pathway and an accelerated NDC 3.0 scenario. The findings highlighted the implications of renewable energy transition, transport electrification, and climate-smart agriculture on employment, income distribution, trade, and GDP growth.
Key findings presented during the workshop showed that an NDC-aligned renewable energy transition could make Nepal’s economy 2.2 percent larger by 2035 compared to the BAU scenario, generate more than 82,000 jobs, and lift over 36,000 people out of poverty. Similarly, transport electrification could expand the economy by 1.4 percent and create around 10,000 jobs, while climate-smart agriculture could contribute to sustained agricultural growth and reduce poverty through improvements in post-harvest systems and livestock productivity.
The event served as a platform for dialogue on financing needs, institutional coordination, policy coherence, and implementation challenges associated with achieving Nepal’s climate and development goals under NDC 3.0.