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Since 1992, iDE has been fostering prosperity in Nepal, building value chains and innovative business models in key sectors such as agriculture, nutrition, market system development, water, sanitation, climate resilience, and gender equality. Our approach aims to catalyze the creation of beneficial, cost-effective products and services that contribute to sustainable growth and improved well-being.
Integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern agricultural practices is part of a growing trend in Nepal, casting farmers as stewards of their lands, which are being increasingly impacted by climate change and harmful pests and diseases.
On May 30, 2025 IDE Nepal proudly hosted the Nutrition and Market Nexus Summit: Unlocking Partnerships for Better Nutrition, a landmark full-day event which brought together policymakers, development leaders, private sector pioneers, and community champions in Kathmandu.
Around two out of three Nepalis are engaged in agriculture, mainly growing crops on small plots of land using basic farming methods. Yet many Nepalis in rural communities still don’t have enough nutritious food to eat. Poor access to high-quality seed, fertilizer, irrigation pumps (and knowledge of how to use them), and markets makes it difficult for them to earn a living. As a result, more than half a million Nepalis work outside the country, 95 percent of them male. Climate change is increasing the vulnerability of these already marginalized people.
Over the last 20 years, iDE has taken a leading role in the micro-irrigation revolution. We continue to develop low-cost, appropriate technologies for small producers, including drip systems, micro-sprinklers, treadle pumps, and water storage and distribution technologies. We invest in the design and initial promotion of these technologies, which private companies cannot afford to develop because they are unable to establish enforceable patent rights. Once popularized, these products are sustainably manufactured and marketed in the local private sector.
Learn more about iDE's commitment to Agriculture.
Nepal’s population is highly vulnerable to climate change effects due to their overwhelming dependence on natural resources for survival. Agriculture, forestry, and ecotourism are critical industries in Nepal.
iDE helps people in rural areas build their resilience to climate extremes through the use of water-saving and resource-smart agricultural technologies and practices.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Smart Technologies.
Not only is gender inequality high in Nepal, it is further complicated by discrimination based on ethnic, caste, and regional differences—Madhesi and Dalit women in the agricultural Terai Region are the most marginalized and excluded.
By focusing on women as customers and entrepreneurs, iDE strengthens their participation in rural value chains and increases their access to technology, know-how, finance, and markets.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Gender Equity.
In Nepal, nearly half of the children under five (an estimated 1.6 million) suffer from undernutrition.
By promoting high-value, nutritious crops, iDE empowers farmers to earn more income and provide their families and communities with a more varied diet, fueling them with the energy and mental ability they need to be successful. iDE also improves access to safe water and sanitation, keeping people healthy and able to absorb the nutrients gained from an improved diet.
Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Nutrition.
iDE’s successful approach in building markets for sanitation improves water and sanitation in vulnerable communities by strengthening the capacity of small enterprises to manufacture and distribute affordable technologies and conducting social marketing campaigns to change household behavior.
Learn more about iDE's commitment to WASH.
