A long dry spell has pushed the Dhanusha of Madhes Province into a deep farming crisis. The lack of proper rainfall for more than 15 days has left rice fields dry and cracked, putting this year’s rice planting season—and farmers’ livelihoods—at serious risk.
For most farmers in Dhanusha, rice is not just a crop; it is their main source of food and income. The region relies heavily on the monsoon rains that usually arrive in early July. But this year, the rains have been unusually late and weak. In the last 24 hours, Hardinath Meteorological Station in Dhanusha witnessed 12.6 mm of rainfall, which is significantly low. Without them, rice saplings cannot be transplanted into the fields, and without transplanting, there will be no harvest.
The problem is now so serious that the Madhes Province Government has officially declared several districts, including Dhanusha, as drought-hit zones. This declaration is a clear signal that the situation needs urgent attention and support from both the provincial and federal governments.
“We haven’t had proper rain in over two weeks,” said Nanda Kishore Pokhrel, a farmer from Chhireshwarnath Municipality-5. “I’ve tried to water my 9-katha field using a motor connected to a hand pump, but the water level is too low, and the system isn’t working properly. The seeds I want to plant are drying up in the heat. If we don’t get rain soon, everything will be ruined.”
Like Pokhrel, many farmers across the district are struggling to save their crops. Usually, by mid-July, rice transplanting would be in full swing. But this year, the dry soil has stopped the work. Some farmers have given up altogether, while others are holding out hope for rain. But as each day passes without rain, that hope begins to fade.
Sudeep Chaudhary, plant protection officer at the Directorate of Agriculture Development, Madesh Province, warns that if rain does not come within the next week, a large part of the rice crop could fail. This would lead not only to food shortages in local households but also to a drop in income for thousands of families who depend on farming.
In response, provincial officials have started assessing the damage and are planning to support farmers by providing drought-resistant seeds and improving access to water for irrigation. However, many farmers say help is coming too slowly.
“We need immediate help,” said Pokhrel. “We need water, pumps that work, and seeds that can grow even in dry conditions. Without that, we will face huge losses. For some families, this could mean going hungry.”
Local leaders and farming groups are now urging the federal government to take quick action. They are asking for emergency relief packages, funding for irrigation systems, and long-term plans to deal with the growing effects of climate change on farming.
As the sky remains cloudless and the sun continues to beat down, the farming communities of Dhanusha wait, watching the sky, hoping for rain, and fearing what might happen if it doesn’t come.
This crisis in Dhanusha is a reminder of how fragile agriculture can be in the face of changing weather. It also shows the urgent need for better support systems, more reliable irrigation, and stronger disaster response plans to protect the farmers who feed the nation.
