The agricultural sector in Nepal has reached a critical inflection point, as decades of chemical fertilizer and pesticide overuse have severely degraded soil vitality and depleted soil organic matter. In response, Nepal’s Council of Ministers has approved the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0, committing the country to raising soil organic matter to a minimum of 4 percent by 2035. Historically, state plans—such as the Agricultural Development Strategy, the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan, and the current Sixteenth Five-Year Plan—have repeatedly stalled at a baseline of 1.96 percent soil organic matter. Analysts point to a long-standing disconnect between policy targets and real-world implementation, warning that without systemic changes, these new international commitments will remain unfulfilled.

The primary challenge preventing progress is a deeply entrenched government subsidy framework that prioritizes chemical inputs over sustainable practices, driving soil degradation. The state currently spends billions of rupees annually to purchase and transport chemical fertilizers, which hardens agricultural land, reduces water retention, and accelerates erosion. Furthermore, farmers attempting to transition to organic agricultureThis is a way of farming that focuses on using natural methods and avoiding synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Biochar fits perfectly into organic agriculture because it’s a natural soil amendment that improves soil health and promotes sustainable farming practices.   More face immediate economic risks, such as initial yield declines and rising labor costs. This financial barrier is compounded by traditional agricultural extension services that remain bureaucratically isolated from active farmland, rendering them unable to support organic transitions effectively.

To overcome these barriers, policy experts propose a comprehensive strategy centered on converting farm waste and invasive forest weeds—such as Mikania micrantha—into biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More, paired with a complete restructuring of the agricultural subsidy model. Producing biochar from these problematic organic residues diverts waste from open burning, which otherwise pollutes the air and damages soil. To mitigate the economic risks of transitioning, the government must replace chemical subsidies with practice- and results-based incentives. Under this system, farmers receive direct compensation for adopting regenerative practices, supplemented by premium subsidies if testing confirms their soil organic carbon has increased from 1.96 percent to 2.5 percent or higher.

The execution of these proposed reforms would significantly improve Nepal’s agricultural resilience, food security, and international standing. Utilizing biochar would increase soil water-holding capacity, foster beneficial microbes, and securely sequester carbon for centuries, directly assisting the nation in meeting its 4 percent soil organic carbon target. To ensure transparency, agricultural extension workers would deploy a digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system. This digital workflow, using mobile applications to record geotagged photos of biochar application, would establish a scientific, reliable data pool to validate Nepal’s carbon mitigation achievements in international climate forums.