In this election environment, candidates are reaching voters from their doorsteps to their farms. However, there is no general discussion about the concrete approach of the parties and candidates on issues directly related to people's lives such as land, agriculture, and employment, and the framework for transformation. How to bring land into the reach and ownership of the actual farming families? How to produce enough food for at least all citizens of the country? How to create widespread employment from the agricultural sector? How to prevent agricultural land from becoming barren? The party needs to have a clear view on these and other issues.

In past manifestos, parties have put forward some administrative and technical issues instead of the agenda of land redistribution. In the case of agriculture, there is also an abstract proposal called modernization of agriculture. Social justice, poverty reduction, and equitable prosperity are not possible in Nepal without the transformation of land and agriculture. Therefore, the main issue in the manifestos of political parties is the search for clear and practical commitments on land and agriculture.

The constitution should be one of the main bases for the issues to be mentioned in the manifestos of the parties. Citizens are no longer in a position to believe in new, impossible and abstract issues. A concrete commitment to the practical and honest implementation of the provisions of the constitution is necessary rather than grandiose dreams.

Land for safe and adequate housing

Housing is the basis of a dignified life. According to the current legal system, only those who have houses on private land are protected against forced eviction. Landless and unorganized settlers who have been living on government or public land for decades are unsafe. They should be provided with ownership of the land in the place where they are currently living. The manifesto should clearly include the issue of no family being forcibly evicted and the respectful relocation and rehabilitation of those living in risky places.

Ending dual and absentee land ownership

Due to the long-standing landlord rule, caste discrimination and biased policies of the state structure, a large population is landless or dependent on very marginal land. A significant group with interest and labor in agricultural work does not have access to arable land. Those who occupy a significant portion of the land do not cultivate it themselves. And, agriculture is not their main source of livelihood. Ending the situation of farmers not having or having limited access to land is laying the foundation for the overall economy of Nepal. For this, the limitation should be fully implemented. By ending dual and absentee land ownership and keeping the interests of farmers at the center, a unified land act and a guthi act should be formulated and implemented to solve the problems of guthi tillers. Based on these laws, a comprehensive land reform program including land redistribution, agricultural support and radical changes in land administration should be implemented. Guthi land being cultivated should be registered in the name of the concerned tillers.

Access to land for increasing production

Of the 4.13 million farming families in Nepal, nearly half of them are unable to grow the food they need for their own families. That is, farmers are in a situation where they have to buy from others. Therefore, it is necessary to increase access to land for families with marginal land. Policies and programs should be implemented to ensure that families involved in agriculture produce sufficient food for themselves, in addition to ensuring a minimum saving.

According to the Nepal Living Standards Survey (4th 2078/80), 20.27 percent of the total population of Nepalis are still living in poverty. It is not possible to reduce poverty through superficial programs. It is necessary to find the structural causes of poverty and work to reduce it. Increasing access to and ownership of resources is one of the important tasks. For that, records of barren private, government and institutional lands can be prepared at the local level and these lands can be made available on long-term contracts according to the production plan. And, those who get land through this process and join the production process should also create an environment that allows them to cultivate for a long time by renewing the contract period if they are cultivating it appropriately. If land is provided in this way, landless and small farmers can reach a state where they can produce enough food for their families within a maximum of 6 months. This will help reduce poverty and improve the livelihood of landless and small farmers as well as contribute to prosperity.

Land for landless Dalits

Our constitution has made provision for providing land to landless Dalits once. Therefore, land should be provided to landless Dalits for housing and agriculture. If landless Dalit families are currently using public land, it should be ensured that the land they are using is not reduced. And, families with marginal land that is not even enough to build a house for their family members should also be included as landless. A limit should also be set on the minimum amount of land to be provided to landless Dalit families.

Community land rights and land use planning

Community rights should be ensured in the pastures, forests, khoriya, kharka and settlement areas traditionally used by indigenous, tribal and local communities. Land use planning should be implemented at the local level in accordance with the Land Use Act to ensure agricultural land conservation, systematic settlement development and food security. Strict action should be taken against the manipulation of land mafia and illegal registration.

Prohibition of corporate farming

Corporate farming has shown the risk of weakening the livelihoods of small farmers, increasing monopoly in the food system, widening inequality and exploiting natural resources. Since 1990, Nepal has been prioritizing the concept of market-oriented agriculture. The market-oriented concept adopted without analyzing the diverse geography, low competitive ability of farmers, uneven land distribution, etc. has not been able to achieve the expected development of the agricultural sector.

The path of handing over land to profit-oriented companies, handing over the responsibility from food production to distribution to them, and farming through laborers using large machines is wrong. It is necessary for the parties to make the path of production led by farmers, empowering the current small, medium and large farmers, giving them access to knowledge, skills and technology, and making laws accordingly.

Rights of landlessness and irregular settlers

To solve the problems of landless Dalits, landless squatters and irregular settlers, arrangements should be made at the local level for data collection, verification, surveying and distribution of land ownership certificates. Landless families involved in actual farming should be provided with necessary cultivable land for their livelihood. Legal arrangements should also be made to address settlers whose forest areas are listed in the intermediate and records. While providing land, it is necessary to ensure that land or housing is provided as per the standards in urban areas, and at least 340 square meters of residential land and 1,700 square meters of agricultural land in rural and peri-urban areas.

Land rights of women farmers

Women's land rights are closely linked to gender equality. Land rights are also the basis for women's economic autonomy and decision-making. Land rights are of great importance in balancing unequal power relations within households, communities and institutions. However, a large part of this powerful resource is owned by men. Many countries still need to bring in programs to ensure equal land and property rights for women.

Localization of land governance

Nepal's governance system is divided into 3 levels: local, provincial and federal. Land rights and responsibilities are also divided between the same 3 levels. Some issues are on the common list. Land ownership, use and management issues need to be addressed at the local level as much as possible. In relation to land reform, it cannot be said that only the work of collecting land tax or collecting data as directed by the federal government or distributing land ownership certificates prepared by the federal government, and resolving minor disputes has been localized. If the work of land surveying, subdivision, land transfer or registration, which is currently being done by the District Survey Office or the Land Reform and Land Revenue Office, is done by the local level, then administrative localization can be said to have occurred.