Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Ramnath Adhikari has said that increasing rice production and maintaining food security and becoming self-sufficient is the priority of the government.

Dr. Asia director of the international organization "IRI" that conducts research on rice. In a meeting with Jong Soo at the ministry on Thursday, the minister mentioned that although Nepal has been self-sufficient in rice and rice in the past, due to population growth and the habit of eating rice, the demand for rice is increasing in recent years, as the domestic production did not meet the demand, and they had to spend a large amount of money to import rice and rice. He said the ministry is working towards increasing productivity and reducing rising costs.

The government is doing its best to improve fertilizers, seeds, technology, mechanization, storage facilities, implementation of minimum support price, cooperation with the paddy-rice industry, the minister said. He expressed his appreciation for Eri's significant contribution to the development of more climate-friendly rice varieties that have started to directly affect rice production due to recent climate change.

Minister Adhikari said, 'We need more support and assistance from Iri. We have been making various efforts and initiatives for this since the past. Even though there is no project, the government is moving in the direction of managing the fund to use the expertise and capacity of IRI in rice research and development.' During the