Institute for Integrated Development Studies - IIDS

Institute for Integrated Development Studies - IIDS Economy | Human Assets | Environment and Climate Change

The Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) is an independent, non-partisan, and not-for-profit think-tank headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal. Since its inception in 1979, it has proven its commitment to research and policy advocacy based on evidence and a holistic approach to sustainable development.

Apprenticeship Fair 2026 ✨Connecting young talent with opportunities to learn, explore, and build the future.📅 26–27 Aug...
22/08/2026

Apprenticeship Fair 2026 ✨
Connecting young talent with opportunities to learn, explore, and build the future.
📅 26–27 August 2026 | IIDS

Dr. Yamuna Ghale — Closing RemarksIn her closing remarks on behalf of IIDS, Dr. Yamuna Ghale distilled the discussion in...
21/08/2026

Dr. Yamuna Ghale — Closing Remarks

In her closing remarks on behalf of IIDS, Dr. Yamuna Ghale distilled the discussion into five priorities: strengthening the use of weather information for decision-making and market information, recognizing the differentiated impacts of digital advisory across gender and farmer groups, identifying who farmers are and where they are to enable better targeting and public resource allocation, and strengthening the role of social mobilizers in building awareness and trust around digital services. She also emphasized the need to move toward the federalization of research and development, enabling local governments to identify and prioritize research agendas that respond to local needs.

Scaling Digital Advisory in Nepal: Evidence, Policy, and Investment Priorities in the Age of AIThe panel discussion on ‘...
21/08/2026

Scaling Digital Advisory in Nepal: Evidence, Policy, and Investment Priorities in the Age of AI

The panel discussion on ‘Scaling Digital Advisory in Nepal: Evidence, Policy, and Investment Priorities in the Age of AI’ brought together perspectives from government, research, private sector, finance, and development partners to examine the progress and potential of digital advisory for Nepal’s farmers.

The session explored how Nepal can move from fragmented and largely grant-dependent digital advisory initiatives toward a more integrated, sustainable, and farmer-centric ecosystem. Discussions focused on strengthening trust and digital literacy, improving access to verified and localized data, integrating advisory with inputs, markets, finance and insurance, enabling responsible AI and data governance, and strengthening public–private collaboration. The session emphasized that the real measure of digital advisory’s success should extend beyond users and downloads to measurable improvements in farmer decisions, productivity, resilience, and livelihoods, supported by sustainable financing and stronger institutional coordination.

Honorable Dr. Devendra Gauchan, Member, National Planning Commission, highlighted the challenge of weak and underfunded ...
21/08/2026

Honorable Dr. Devendra Gauchan, Member, National Planning Commission, highlighted the challenge of weak and underfunded agricultural extension services, limited digital awareness, and low willingness to pay, particularly among marginalized and remote communities. As a solution, he emphasized integrating digital advisory services with Nepal’s national agricultural and extension systems, including digital soil mapping, AI, and market information to reduce intermediaries and improve farmers’ returns. On action, he called for stronger public–private–local government collaboration and greater focus on inclusive, geographically accessible digital agriculture within Nepal’s broader development and planning priorities.

Mr. Bobin Thapa, Program Coordinator at GeoKrishi, highlighted how digital agriculture can move beyond standalone applic...
21/08/2026

Mr. Bobin Thapa, Program Coordinator at GeoKrishi, highlighted how digital agriculture can move beyond standalone applications to build an integrated, farmer-centred ecosystem connecting producers, technicians, input suppliers, markets, cooperatives, and local governments. GeoKrishi has reached over 200,000–235,000 farmers, with 1,500+ agents and partnerships across local governments and stakeholders, while its data-driven advisory has contributed to 10–40% productivity gains and 10–25% reductions in production/input costs. He emphasized the 4Cs—context, content, collaboration, and community—as key to building effective digital agriculture systems, while noting farmer trust, market linkages, and business sustainability as continuing challenges; the next phase will focus on AI-enabled advisory, digital traceability, and stronger input and market linkages.

The presentation by Ms. Prapti Barooah, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI, examined GeoKrishi’s phygital approach to digita...
21/08/2026

The presentation by Ms. Prapti Barooah, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI, examined GeoKrishi’s phygital approach to digital agricultural advisory, drawing on 2,124 households and 148 KIIs/FGDs across Dang and Kapilvastu. She highlighted that 77% of users reported improvements, while matched estimates showed gains of 0.48 tonnes in production, 0.31 tonnes/ha in productivity, NPR 20,000 in production value, and NPR 55,000 in profits. She emphasized that sustaining these gains requires stronger user retention, trust, digital usability, and government–private sector partnerships, noting the 5,500-user Banganga PPP model as a promising example while calling for greater focus on women, cooperatives, agrovets, and long-term financial sustainability.

Opening Remarks – Digital Agricultural Advisory Platforms in Nepal | Report LaunchOpening the discussion, Dr. Biswash Ga...
21/08/2026

Opening Remarks – Digital Agricultural Advisory Platforms in Nepal | Report Launch

Opening the discussion, Dr. Biswash Gauchan, FCA, Executive Chair of IIDS, emphasized that agricultural transformation is not an option but a necessity for Nepal, with digital agriculture playing an increasingly important role in improving farmers’ access to inputs, technical advice, and services. He noted that the study offers a timely opportunity to examine whether digital platforms are effectively reaching farmers and contributing to meaningful outcomes in rural areas. He also underscored the importance of sustained collaboration among policymakers, development partners, service providers, and other stakeholders, while acknowledging the contributions of the research team and GeoKrishi in translating digital agriculture into real-world applications.

Bringing together leading voices in Nepal’s digital agriculture ecosystem for an insightful dialogue on Digital Agricult...
20/08/2026

Bringing together leading voices in Nepal’s digital agriculture ecosystem for an insightful dialogue on Digital Agricultural Advisory Platforms in Nepal. 🌱📱

IIDS is inviting digital nomads to share their perspectives and experiences.If you work remotely and have made mobility ...
19/08/2026

IIDS is inviting digital nomads to share their perspectives and experiences.

If you work remotely and have made mobility part of your lifestyle, we’d love to hear from you.

Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Wg4SA2nSxV

What does it take to make digital agricultural advisory work at scale? 🌱📱Join us in Kathmandu on 21 August for the disse...
19/08/2026

What does it take to make digital agricultural advisory work at scale? 🌱📱

Join us in Kathmandu on 21 August for the dissemination of new evidence from a quasi-experimental evaluation of a private-sector phygital agricultural advisory platform in Nepal, followed by a panel discussion on **”Scaling Digital Advisory in Nepal: Evidence, Policy, and Investment Priorities in the Age of AI”**

We’ll bring together researchers, policymakers, development partners and private-sector actors to discuss what works, who benefits, and what it takes to scale digital advisory sustainably.

📍 Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu
📅 21 August 2026 | 🕘 9:30 AM–2:00 PM

If you work on digital agriculture, extension, AI or rural development, we’d love to have you join us!

Address

Mandikhatar
Kathmandu
44600

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+97714371006

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