Kathmandu__
The devastating flash floods that swept through Nepal’s Bhote Koshi–Trishuli river corridor on August 26 have damaged around 1,800 hectares of crops, mostly paddy, and killed thousands of livestock, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The floods have taken a heavy toll on communities, killing more than 1,000 people, forcing many from their homes and causing extensive damage to agriculture and rural livelihoods.
According to FAO’s preliminary assessment, the floods have damaged around 1,800 hectares of cropland, with agricultural production losses estimated at nearly 7,700 tonnes. Farmland, fisheries, food stocks and agricultural infrastructure have also been affected.
The damage is expected to have an impact on the food security and incomes of farming families beyond the immediate emergency, as the loss of crops could affect both current harvests and future production.
Across 11 affected municipalities, more than 350,000 cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats and 1.6 million poultry were present before the floods. Thousands of animals have reportedly been lost, with FAO estimating that 5 to 10 percent of the livestock and poultry population in the affected communities may have been completely lost.
“Losing an animal is not only about losing food today. It can also mean losing an important source of income and future production,” said Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General.
She said agricultural recovery needed to be considered an integral part of the emergency response and should begin early.
Farmers need seeds, livestock need feed and veterinary care
Bechdol said farmers urgently need seeds, while livestock require animal feed and veterinary services.
Flooding has also increased the risk of animal diseases, making vaccination, treatment and disease surveillance important in the affected areas.
FAO is working with the Government of Nepal to assess the full extent of damage to crops, livestock, fisheries, farmland and agricultural infrastructure. The assessment includes field visits as well as satellite imagery and remote-sensing technology.
“We need to know not only where the flood went, but what it took with it—and what farmers need to produce again,” Bechdol said.
Next planting season critical for recovery
According to Bechdol, Nepal is facing two challenges at the same time: meeting immediate humanitarian needs and restoring agricultural production before the next planting season.
The immediate response involves providing safe water, food, shelter and sanitation and reaching communities cut off by the disaster. Forty-one bridges have reportedly been destroyed, while damaged roads continue to impede access and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, agricultural recovery cannot be delayed.
“Planting season does not wait for a recovery plan,” Bechdol said.
FAO’s satellite imagery shows cropland buried under mud and sediment, along with erosion and significant sediment deposits. This could make long-term agricultural recovery more difficult.
She said recovery would require more than distributing seeds. Authorities and partners would need to determine which fields could be brought back into production, restore soils where necessary, repair drainage and irrigation systems, and help farmers prepare for the next crop.
“If farmers miss the next planting season, the impact of this flood will last far longer,” she said.
FAO supporting emergency response and long-term recovery
FAO deployed emergency teams, including veterinarians, to affected areas within about 24 hours of the floods. The organization has provided veterinary medicines to treat injured animals and is assessing the risks of animal disease and the urgent need for animal feed.
At the request of the Government of Nepal, FAO is also leading an agricultural loss-and-damage assessment to support the development of an informed and targeted recovery plan.
FAO said its response combines immediate assistance with longer-term agricultural recovery. This includes restoring damaged irrigation systems, providing seeds and agricultural tools before the planting window closes, supporting surviving livestock with feed and veterinary services, and helping restore fisheries and local markets.
“Our goal is not simply to replace or fix what was lost. It is to restore the ability of families to produce food and earn an income,” Bechdol said.
“When a farmer can produce again, a family begins to recover—and a community becomes less dependent on emergency assistance.”
