Human-wildlife conflict is not a new issue in Nepal. Due to the shrinking forest area, expansion of development activities, increase in human settlement and changes in natural habitats, competition between humans and wildlife for resource consumption is increasing in districts including the Terai. In recent years, the human-monkey conflict seen in the mid-hills of Nepal has started to have a serious impact on the social, economic and agricultural system. 

In many villages, the tendency to abandon farming is increasing as the crops planted by farmers have started to be destroyed repeatedly. In some places, cultivable land is becoming barren, and in some places, people have started migrating. In the recently concluded elections for the House of Representatives, many candidates have presented monkey control as a main election agenda. This says that this problem is not only a matter of wildlife management, but also a national challenge related to the rural economy, food security and social stability. 

Recently, various media outlets published incidents of brutal killing of monkeys. Such incidents indicate growing frustration and anger in society. When the farmers' year-long hard work is destroyed in a few hours, it is natural for them to become dissatisfied. However, such violent reactions are not a solution to the problem. Monkeys do not understand the law, but humans have the ability to manage problems using knowledge, policies, and technology. The need of the hour is not to destroy monkeys, but to manage them scientifically and responsibly.

The agriculture sector has a huge contribution to Nepal's economy. About two-thirds of the country's population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. According to currently available data, the annual production of major grain crops including rice, corn, and wheat in Nepal is around 8 million metric tons. However, some part of this production is destroyed due to wildlife. Various studies have shown that an average of 365 thousand metric tons of agricultural production is required annually to sustain the approximately 500,000 monkeys in Nepal. Looking at this in percentage terms, about 4.6 percent of the total production is affected by monkeys. 

Viewing monkeys only as creatures that spoil the agricultural sector is an incomplete view. Monkeys are of great importance in the field of science and research. Due to their genetic and biological similarities to humans, monkeys have been used in biomedical research worldwide. Monkeys are considered very important for drug testing, vaccine development, neuroscience and disease research. In particular, the red monkey (Rhesus macaque) and the long-tailed monkey (Cynomolgus macaque) species are monkey species that are widely used in drug testing. 

The role of local levels and communities is very important in resolving human-wildlife conflict. Local levels can implement effective measures through forest management, agricultural planning and community coordination. By planting indigenous fruit species such as kafal, chiuri, katus, and papaya in community and national forest areas, food sources can be increased in the forest. It is also necessary to manage water resources in forest areas. Similarly, farmers can be encouraged to grow cash crops that are less damaged by monkeys such as ginger, turmeric, chili, timbur, and cardamom. Using technology, drone surveillance, sensor-based early warning systems, etc., may be the solutions of the coming days. For this, it has become imperative for the central and provincial governments to formulate a fact-based policy for the scientific management of monkeys.