Agri is not just culture, it’s strategy
Growing up, I thought “agriculture” meant two things: mud on your slippers and the smell of fresh cow dung. The word alone evoked green fields, earthy scents, and the image of a farmer wiping sweat with pride under the sun. We were told it’s our culture, our dignity, our roots. But no one ever said it could be our career. Our future. Our innovation. Our enterprise.
And if we keep treating it as a sentimental artifact instead of a strategic powerhouse, we’ll keep losing both crops and common sense. When I tell people I study agriculture, I often get two reactions. One: “Oh... so you didn’t get into MBBS?” Two: “Who studies agriculture for four years just to become a full time dung manager?”
I smile politely. But let’s be honest, it’s frustrating. See, if someone wants to be a doctor, they study medicine. You want to be a bank manager? You take finance. A food technologist? You go to food tech. But agriculture? Somehow, that’s everyone’s Plan B. The backup of all backup plans. The “If nothing works I’ll just do farming” mindset. And the very thing we depend on every single day, for our food, economy, and festivals is the one thing we prepare for the least.
And young people, they’re running away from it like it’s contagious. Every year, thousands migrate abroad chasing jobs, because they see no future in farming. Not because agriculture is broken but because we’ve failed to make it aspirational. We've told them farming is for those who had “no better option,” not those with big ideas. So instead of staying to transform it, they leave. And the fields they leave behind grow emptier with crops, hope, and innovation all drying up together. We still frame agriculture as a poor man’s job. Something to escape from. We don’t encourage curiosity, creativity, or ambition in this field.
When we say “agriculture is our culture,” it often becomes an excuse to keep things traditionally stuck in time, manually driven, and underfunded. I’ve seen farmers invest years of hard labor, only to watch their harvest rot in the sun for lack of cold storage. I’ve watched relatives plant the same crop season after season because “that’s what we’ve always done” even as market prices crash. No data. No diversification. No business model. Because no one told them farming also needs a strategy.
Meanwhile, other countries are turning agriculture into high-performing industries powered by data, AI, satellite imaging, and precision irrigation. They’re building vertical farms, investing in cold chains, weather forecasting, and market access. Look at Israel, a desert nation, or the Netherlands, a country with limited land; both have transformed their agricultural sectors into export powerhouses through strategic investment and innovation.
We forget that agriculture isn’t just soil and seeds. It’s a multi-layered game of politics, economics, science, and survival. And sadly, we’re still playing it barefoot while the rest of the world shows up in boots, drones, and data dashboards. Agriculture employs around 60 percent of Nepal’s population, yet contributes only 25 percent to our GDP. You see the mismatch? It’s like sending the whole village to build a bridge without giving them a blueprint or tools. Everyone’s working, sweating, committed… but the bridge still collapses.
We’re working hard but not necessarily smart. Think of agriculture not as a field to work on, but as a battlefield of ideas, innovation, and policy. Countries that treat agri as strategy are building food independence, export empires, and tech-driven supply chains. Meanwhile, countries that treat it like folklore are even importing garlic. And one more thing, climate change doesn’t care about your culture. Neither do pests, nor market volatility.
They respond to strategy. If your strategy is tradition alone, you’re not farming. You’re gambling. Agriculture is culture, yes. But that’s only half the story. The other half is power. Food is power. Land is power. And whoever controls it not just physically but strategically writes the next chapter of national development. It’s time to shift our mindset from sentiment to strategy, from preservation to progress. It’s a call to policymakers, educators, and young change makers to see our fields not as fading traditions, but as the foundation of a new future.
Culture makes us proud. Strategy makes us unstoppable. And between pride and progress, I’d like to have both, please with a side of sustainability.
Reetu Shrestha
BSc Agriculture Student, IAAS Lamjung, TU
Analysis on Bangladesh’s UN Water Convention accession and water challenges
Bangladesh’s decision to join the United Nations Water Convention on June 20 is a seminal turn of events given its struggle with transboundary water management, especially in the shared river systems with India. It became a 56th party and the first South Asian country to sign to the framework, and hopes to improve cooperation and fairness in water sharing, which is important to its water security, because it depends on 57 shared rivers, major among like the Ganges and Teesta River, but this decision comes with challenges such as the expiry of the 1996 Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty in 2026 and the pending resolution of the Teesta River dispute, in the midst of political instability domestically in Bangladesh.
The UN Water Convention, known officially as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, was established in 1992 under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and became open to global accession in 2016. It espouses ideals like fair use, do no significant harm, and sustainably manage, as well as requiring cooperation and monitoring regulations and dispute resolution.
This step is in line with Bangladesh’s requirement for an organized tool to control its water resources, since it is highly deltaic by topography and the majority of its river waters are derived from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) system.
The 1996 Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty, which is in effect until 2026, had been the keystone of India-Bangladesh water cooperation, dividing water at the Farakka Barrage to guarantee 35,000 cusecs during the lean season to Bangladesh, but opponents, including Bangladeshi water experts, say it does not come with such a minimum flow guarantee and does not take account of climate-induced variability. So, It’s time of the essence to renegotiate an accord that rivers the treaty, and the principles of the UN Water Convention could help steer a new, more flexible and equitable accord, which might take into account environmental flows and climate resilience.
The Teesta River dispute, which has simmered since an almost-agreement in 2011 was derailed by the political opposition in West Bengal, remains a flash point. The Teesta is crucial for Bangladesh’s north, providing water for farming and other occupations there, but Indian activities upstream and local priorities in the state of West Bengal make sharing difficult. The focus of the convention on the involvement of different stakeholders may also help to foster a discussion involving, for example sub-national governments and communities, as a way out of the impasse.
The convention also provides a legal and institutional structure that would work in Bangladesh’s favor in negotiations. The proposed mechanisms of joint monitoring and data sharing could mitigate hydrological information asymmetry and improve the performance of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), formed in 1972. According to UNECE, the JRC, although a leading body for water negotiations, is not provided with the necessary enforcement capacity, and the convention's modalities for dispute settlement may offer a model. Nevertheless, as India is not party to the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention or the 1992 UN Water Convention, the strength of direct enforcement is limited and Bangladesh must rely on diplomatic persuasion or international attention.
The convention has been gaining global acceptance, with recent accessions by African and Middle Eastern nations such as Chad, Senegal and Iraq, which illustrates its usefulness in promoting cooperation on shared waters, according to UNECE. Bangladesh is free to learn as to how to go about creating joint water commissions in Africa and they may be able to provide an example that could be inaugurated in South Asia with the participation of Nepal and Bhutan for instance.
Domestic Politics Bangladesh’s internal situation has had recent turmoil such as the removal of Sheikh Hasina’s government and the rule of the interim government under Muhammad Yunus as referred to in the user’s question, which could affect its ability to be a capable actor. An unstable political environment can result in ambivalence in foreign policy, thereby reducing its negotiation capability, facilitated with the diplomatic bargaining that is expected to accompany the renegotiation of contracts. Recent reports, including UNEP, call attention to Bangladesh’s cooperation with the UN over the environment, although political obstacles may impede action. West Bengal plays a significant role within India’s federal structure which adds another dimension since local politics often takes precedence over national interests and that further complicates Teesta talks.
Geopolitics are playing out as well with China’s commitment of a $1bn loan for Teesta management last year, as mentioned in the user query, also worrying India. It indicated a mounting trend of preferring to focus on national developmental needs and could push India to a harder line in negotiations over the Ganges treaty.
Bangladesh’s decision to accede to the UN Water Convention is a tactical step to improve transboundary water governance, providing tools for negotiation and cooperation. However, its ability to resolve the Ganges treaty expiration and Teesta dispute will hinge on the ability to overcome political instability, mobilize India, and use third party support. The principles of the convention could provide a spur towards progress, but the outcomes are not a given and will need the active involvement of both countries and the international community. As Bangladesh charts these waters, its regional leadership could in fact become a model for cooperation over water in the region, and lead not to upholding global norms, but rather to their outright adoption.
Potassium deficiency and its remedy
Our body cells need minerals in the form of crucial food to meet a medley of functions, from forging materials for our bones, muscles, heart, and brain to making enzymes and hormones and to other biologically active tasks such as maintaining the body's acid-base equilibrium, the body pH to neutral, nerve impulse transmission, and muscle contraction.
The seven vital minerals, or macro-minerals, include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur. Other minerals, known as trace minerals (required in smaller quantities), also serve as backups, including iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.
Among the seven vital macro-minerals, most people naturally meet their adequate daily potassium requirement through a variety of foods. Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate blood and fluid levels. It further supports the proper functioning of the kidneys, heart, muscles, and nervous system.
Potassium and sodium are like two sides of the same coin since they work hand in hand. Potassium plays a significant role in the body by helping to maintain normal fluid levels both within and outside cells. Furthermore, potassium helps muscles contract and regulates blood pressure to normal levels.
The potassium level in your body can drop too low due to a low-potassium diet, immoderate alcohol drinking, and excessive use of laxatives, constipation, dehydration, excessive sweating, fatigue, persistent vomiting, diarrhea, adrenal gland disorders, medication like diuretics or water pills, and certain prescription medicines, including antibiotics. If the potassium level in the blood is low, the condition is called hypokalemia.
The most common cause of hypokalemia is attributed to substantial potassium loss through urine owing to the use of prescription medication (generally for those who have high blood pressure or heart disease), such as diuretics or water pills, which induce an increase in urination.
If the level of potassium in the blood drops too low, it can lead to several serious complications. These include cramps, numbness or tingling, diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic kidney disease, abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmia, and in severe cases, muscle spasms, even paralysis, and possibly respiratory failure. These potential health risks underscore the importance of maintaining a balanced potassium level in your body. For instance, muscle cramps, especially in the legs, are a common symptom of hypokalemia. Numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or other parts of the body can also indicate a potassium deficiency.
In cases of mild hypokalemia, people typically barely show symptoms. There is nothing to be alarmed about, though. The average blood potassium level should range from 3.6 to 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A level below 3.6 mmol/L is considered low and may indicate hypokalemia. A simple blood test, recommended by your healthcare provider, can help determine your body's potassium level. Your doctor may also ask you to take a urine test to determine if you're losing potassium through your pee.
Hypokalemia, or dangerously low potassium levels, can affect your kidneys if left untreated. You may frequently have to visit the bathroom and more often feel thirsty. However, there are loads of potassium-rich foods that can work wonders in mild cases of hypokalemia. By incorporating these foods into your diet, you can take proactive steps to boost your potassium level and maintain your health.
A recommended daily potassium intake for a healthy adult male is 3,400 mg, and 2,600 mg for females. This daily intake, when met consistently, can significantly contribute to maintaining a healthy potassium level in your body. By understanding and meeting this requirement, you can feel confident in your ability to manage your potassium intake and maintain your health.
If you’re committed to maintaining a balanced diet rich in potassium, the following foods can be your allies in this journey. The good news is that your body absorbs approximately 85 percent–90 percent of the potassium from your diet, allowing you to take control of your potassium intake and remedy any deficiency.
The recommended potassium-rich foods:
- Fruits like dried apricots, raisins, prunes, oranges, bananas, avocados, and apples
- Vegetables, such as squash, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, kale, silver beet, acorn, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin
- Lentils include kidney beans, soybeans, walnuts, peanuts, and almonds
- Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cream
- Meat—chicken and fish
The following juices are high in potassium: passion fruit juice, carrot juice, pomegranate juice, orange juice, prune juice, tomato juice, and vegetable juice. Even tea and coffee contain potassium.
Potassium, a macromineral, is essential for maintaining good health. It plays a crucial role in safeguarding kidney health, cardiovascular health, bone and muscle health, normal cell functioning, proper muscle and nerve mobility, protein synthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism. For instance, it helps regulate blood pressure, supports muscle function, and aids in the transmission of nerve impulses. Maintaining a healthy potassium level is therefore vital for overall health and well-being.
Before you consider taking any potassium supplements, it's crucial to consult your doctor. Excessive potassium intake can lead to hyperkalemia, a condition where there's too much potassium in your body. Remember, 'Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.' This oft-quoted phrase, spoken by the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, around 400 BC, has never been more relevant. It serves as a reminder to be cautious and responsible when it comes to your health.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits reader discretion and cross-references or consultations with a healthcare practitioner for further substantiation.
A hidden challenges of Nepal’s private educational institutions
Private schools exemplify excellence in education, fostering an innovative learning environment. Yet behind their achievement is a tricky issue that seems overlooked: succession planning for future leaders. It is an essential part of the procedure to maintain competent leadership that can sustain the school’s legacy. This entails identification and development of future leaders in private schools to ensure that operations continue unhindered when key personnel leave.
Private schools flourished in Nepal After the restoration of democracy in 1990. They provided good education compared to government-run schools. Today, the majority of private schools are still under the ownership of individuals who founded them. They are yet to relinquish power to the next generation.
With the increase in private school numbers it is important to caution the owners on the issues they are likely to encounter in case they fail to plan ahead. The problem was raised during an international conference in Kathmandu, where many school owners shared that they were considering selling their institutions due to a lack of succession planning. This scenario raises questions about institutional stability and the well-being of its staff in case the leadership transition is mishandled.
The barriers to effective succession planning are deeply rooted. Many school leaders lack awareness of its long-term importance, while cultural norms and family dynamics often obstruct smooth leadership transitions. Compounding the problem, immediate operational demands frequently overshadow strategic planning, leaving institutions without clear pathways for future leadership. The absence of an organizational culture that prioritizes talent development further exacerbates the issue, creating a vacuum when experienced leaders step down.
The consequences of neglecting succession planning are severe and far-reaching. Sudden leadership gaps breed uncertainty, eroding staff morale and institutional performance. Perhaps most critically, the departure of seasoned leaders results in the irreversible loss of institutional knowledge—the accumulated wisdom, relationships, and expertise that define a school’s identity and competitive edge. Without proper succession mechanisms, schools risk losing not only their direction but their very ability to adapt in an increasingly complex educational environment.
At its core, succession planning is about safeguarding institutional futures. It transcends mere replacement, serving instead as a strategic process to identify, nurture, and prepare the next generation of leaders. When done effectively, it ensures continuity of mission, preserves organizational memory, and provides stability through periods of transition. For Nepal’s private schools, this process is not a theoretical exercise but an existential imperative—one that determines whether institutions will flourish or fade in the coming decades.
The solution lies in treating leadership development as an ongoing institutional priority rather than a reactive measure. Schools must cultivate leadership pipelines by identifying high-potential candidates early, providing them with progressive responsibilities, and embedding mentorship into the organizational culture. This requires shifting from short-term thinking to long-term investment in human capital, ensuring that every leadership transition strengthens rather than weakens the institution.
For Nepal’s private education sector to thrive amid rapid societal changes, succession planning must move from periphery to priority. By confronting this challenge head-on—through awareness-building, cultural adaptation, and strategic foresight—schools can transform a looming crisis into an opportunity for renewal. The stakes extend beyond individual institutions; the quality of Nepal’s future education system hinges on today’s decisions about tomorrow’s leaders. Those who recognize this imperative and act decisively will not only secure their legacies but elevate the entire educational ecosystem for generations to come.
The author is PhD Scholar at Symbiosis International University
