Science Partnerships for Prosperity: How CIMMYTs Science-Market-Led Collaboration is Transforming Nepal’s Maize Economy

Nepal imports hundreds of thousands of tons of maize every year to meet the growing demand of its livestock and feed industries. Yet, the country’s fertile Terai region has enormous, untapped potential to produce high-quality maize, increase rural incomes, and strengthen national food and feed security. The challenge has never been about production alone—it has been about creating a system where farmers, markets, financial institutions, governments, and private businesses work together. The Scaling for Impact Science Program demonstrates that when these actors are connected through market-led partnerships, smallholder farmers can transition from subsistence production to profitable commercial agriculture. Disseminating Research Recommendations The project developed a Spring Maize Best Management Practices (BMP) Technical Bulletin, with several years of maize trial data from CIMMYT and Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC). The bulletin was reviewed and endorsed by NARC and co-designed with the Government of Nepal. The technical guidance was widely disseminated through local governments, cooperatives, websites, WhatsApp groups, and social media platforms, reaching approximately 150,000 people. Knowledge was further strengthened through district-level Training of Trainers (ToT) programs on using BMPs, where 225 cooperative leaders, traders, and local government officials were trained across six districts, creating a network of local experts capable of supporting thousands of maize farmers. Cooperatives at the Centre of Commercialization One of the most significant achievements has been placing farmers’ cooperatives at the heart of commercialization. A total of 86 cooperatives, representing 30,536 farming households (approximately 150,000 individuals), jointly prepared production, aggregation, and marketing plans covering 15,125 hectares of spring maize. Importantly, 65% of participants were women, highlighting the inclusive nature of the approach. These coordinated production plans translated into impressive outcomes: - 108,190 tons of maize produced - Average productivity of 7.15 tons per hectare, more than double the national maize productivity. - Production valued at approximately USD 22.35 million - 93% of grain sold commercially - Average household maize income of USD 1,478, from an otherwise fallow land. These figures demonstrate that commercial agriculture is not simply about producing more maize—it is about enabling farmers to consistently access profitable markets. Strengthening Local Service Delivery Market-led extension has become another pillar of the initiative. Twenty-one agro-dealers and fifteen machinery suppliers demonstrated improved seed, soil fertility technologies, irrigation equipment, and mechanization services directly in farming communities, reaching around 150,000 people. At the same time, agro-dealers supplied 300 tons of farmers’ preferred hybrid maize seed, valued at approximately USD 1 million, across eight districts in eastern and western Nepal. To address production risks, two roundtable discussions with the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation helped coordinate irrigation during critical crop growth stages across 750 hectares of maize production. Local Networks Driving Lasting Change Sustainable scaling depends on local ownership. The program facilitated the establishment of seven district-level maize commercialization networks, bringing together input suppliers, cooperatives, youth representatives, feed millers, traders, and local governments. Three of these networks are led by women. These multi-stakeholder platforms have become important mechanisms for sharing information on seed availability, fertilizer, irrigation, mechanization, pest management, and market prices. Their district-level WhatsApp groups now support real-time communication while helping local and provincial governments identify farmers’ needs for inclusion in annual planning and budgeting. Linking Farmers Directly to Industry Perhaps the most transformative aspect of the initiative has been creating direct market linkages. Five formal buyback agreements were established between cooperatives and animal feed companies, enabling cooperatives to supply 1,400 tons of maize directly to feed mills. An even more significant milestone was achieved when Gaurishankar Agro Industry Pvt. Ltd., Nepal’s largest animal feed manufacturer, signed a buyback agreement with a farmers’ cooperative in Sunsari District for 22,500 metric tons of maize, valued at approximately USD 5.25 million. The partnership extended beyond marketing. Through Gaurishankar Agro Industry’s corporate guarantee, the cooperative secured USD 0.34 million in financing from Laxmi Sunrise Bank, enabling timely access to quality agricultural inputs, working capital for maize farmers. This integrated model—combining production, guaranteed markets, and finance—reduces farmers’ risks while improving their investment capacity. Scaling Through Strong Partnerships The program demonstrates that sustainable agricultural transformation requires collaboration across sectors. Today, the maize commercialization process actively engages: - 25 local governments - 28 agricultural input businesses - 22 maize traders and MSMEs - 10 animal feed companies Their combined efforts have driven remarkable expansion in spring maize cultivation—from 2,000 hectares in 2025 to 15,125 hectares in 2026, representing a 650% increase in just one year. Public investment has also followed. Local and provincial governments invested approximately USD 0.4 million to improve farmers’ access to quality seed, irrigation, and mechanization services. A Model Ready for National Scale The success of the market-led commercialization approach has attracted strong government support. Recognizing its impact, the Government of Nepal has decided to expand the Maize Commercial Model (MCM) to 10 municipalities across the Terai districts of Morang, Sunsari, Bara, Rautahat, Banke, and Bardiya during FY 2026/27, covering Koshi, Madhesh, and Lumbini Provinces. Looking Ahead The experience from Nepal demonstrates that agricultural transformation is driven not by a single technology or intervention, but by strong partnerships that connect science, markets, finance, extension, and policy. By organizing farmers into commercially oriented cooperatives, linking them with input suppliers and buyers, strengthening local institutions, and enabling public-private collaboration, the program is creating a resilient maize value chain that benefits farmers, businesses, and consumers alike. As Nepal seeks to reduce maize imports and strengthen its food and feed systems, this market-led partnership model offers a practical pathway for scaling inclusive agricultural commercialization—one that improves livelihoods, empowers women, attracts private investment, and builds a more resilient agrifood system for the future.