농림업 분야 중점 협력국별 국제개발협력 전략 수립(2차년도): 네팔

Abstract

네팔은 지난 1990년대부터 오랫동안 내전에 시달렸다. 2015년에는 수도 카트만두 근처에서 대지진이 일어나 많은 희생을 치렀다. 히말라야 산맥을 따라 고준험령이 국토의 북쪽에 위치한 반면 남쪽에는 넓은 평야(테라이)가 분포해 있고 매우 추운 날씨와 아열대성 기후가 공존하는 국가이다.

2010년부터 우리나라 ODA의 중점협력국인 네팔에서 농림업은 매우 중요한 산업이며 농촌은 인구의 80%가 거주하는 삶의 공간이다. 그러나 한때 수출하기까지 한 쌀은 이제 값싼 인도산 쌀과 경쟁해야 하고 뒤처진 생산성으로 많은 양을 수입하여야 한다. 최빈국으로서 우리나라를 포함하여 많은 네팔인들이 해외근로자로 취업해 있으면서 부족한 가구소득을 보충하고자 애쓰고 있지만 최근에는 그 증가율이 둔화되면서 어려움을 겪고 있다.

네팔이 필요로 하는 농림업 발전을 위한 계기를 우리나라가 제공해 줄 수 있다는 관점에서, 이 연구를 통해 개발협력의 목표와 기본방향, 중점 추진과제, 세부 추진과제 등을 제시하였다. 이것들은 네팔 정부가 추진하는 각종 농림업 개발계획과 전략, 정책 등을 검토한 결과이다.

Research Background Belonging to the group of the least developed countries, Nepal is a fragile country after more than ten years’ civil war in both politics and the economy. Likewise, in other developing countries, agriculture plays the leading role in the national economy and society in Nepal; it takes a third of total GDP and two-thirds of total employment. People under the poverty line in rural areas are over twenty percent, implying the importance of its development. It is required that Korean assistance increase effectiveness and efficiency in development cooperation to aid Nepal for its early recovery from civil war and a great earthquake, achieving sustainable economic, agricultural, and rural development. This study has the purpose of analyzing the current situations of Nepalese agriculture and related public strategies and, based on it, to establish mid- to long-term development cooperation strategy in agriculture sector for Korean government.

Research Methodology Domestic and international literature, including statistical databases, are the primary sources of information for the study. Visiting for interviews with experts and officials in Kathmandu of Nepal in May 2019 also provided critical information. Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) contributed to a part of this study by implementing a value chain study of rice including other policy trends of India.

Findings Agriculture takes a third of the GDP and two-thirds of employment in Nepal. Since 1996, Nepal had suffered from civil war, and, in 2015, a great earthquake hit the country, leaving it as one of the poorest countries in the world. The growth rate of the agricultural sector is stagnating at the level of three percent. 255 million USD of agricultural products were exported in the 2017/2018 budget year, whereas about 1.38 billion USD of agricultural products had been imported. Paddy is the most important crop, occupying seven percent of total GDP and 19% of agricultural GDP. A large amount of rice is currently imported from abroad, including India, although, during 1970s, Nepal had been exporting rice. Through the 「Agriculture Development Strategy 2015 to 2035」, the Nepalese government targets 2030 to achieve the status of a middle-income country, focusing upon four pillars of governance, productivity, profitability, and competitiveness. Korea, with 「Country Partnership Strategy」, adopts a rural income increase and balanced national development through agricultural value chain expansion as crucial areas of cooperation with Nepal. Mid- to a long-term strategic objective for development cooperation in the agriculture sector is set as ‘food security and enhancement of agricultural income.’ Core pillars for cooperation are: organizational capacity strengthening for productivity enhancement, farm income increase through commercialization of principal crops, and food security through food crop supply. Cooperation needs to focus on agricultural R&D and extension system building, distribution system establishment, and food crop productivity improvement for Nepal.

Researchers: Heo Jang, Lee Mina Research period: 2019. 1. ~ 2019. 12. E-mail address: heojang@krei.re.kr