Hope after weeks of drought in Madhesh

After being declared a crisis-ridden zone following prolonged drought, Madhesh Pradesh has finally seen a glimmer of hope as rain brings much-needed relief.

Farmers who had been waiting for rain anxiously are now salvaging this season’s harvest. Many shared that the rain arrived just in time to rescue their paddy crops, which were beginning to wilt amid the water scarcity. 

By July 25, only 51 per cent of the 372,645 hectares set aside for rice farming had been planted, according to the Madhesh Province Agriculture Directorate. This is a big drop from the 91.27 per cent that had been planted by the same time last year.