Nepal Foreign Affairs (Feb 10, 2015): As a continuation of joint cooperation, Agreement to implement
Small Irrigation Programme (SIP) – Phase I was signed and exchanged on Tuesday 2015 between Dr. Urs Herren, Ambassador, Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal and Suman Prasad Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of their respective
governments.
The total budget of the programme is over 29.16 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to NRs. 3.06 billion) where the Government of Switzerland has agreed to provide grants of 16.99 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to NRs. 1.78 billion) and the
Government of Nepal will contribute 10.71 million Swiss Francs (equivalent to NRs. 1.12 billion).
“The first phase of the programme will be of 4 years duration and will be implemented in nine
districts of Nepal (Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Dailekh,
Achham, Kalikot and Jajarkot),” the press statement issued by Swiss Embassy on Tuesday read.
According to the embassy, the goal of the programme is to increase agricultural income of rural poor especially the disadvantaged groups in Nepal.
The programme will offer optimal backward and forward linkage to agriculture production value chain through synergy with two
upcoming Swiss funded agriculture programmes (Nepal Agriculture Service Development Programme and Nepal Agriculture Market Development Programme).
“It will develop around 1800 small irrigation schemes covering a total irrigation area of 15,000 hectares and will
benefit more than 25,000 small farming households,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD), through the Department
of Local Infrastructures Development and Agricultural Roads (DoLIDAR), will execute and
monitor SIP, while the respective District Development Committees (DDCs) will implement
the programme, the embassy said.