Untapped potential leaves Karnali a tough land for residents

In Nepal's remote Karnali province, abundant natural resources and potential economic opportunities have failed to lift a significant portion of the population out of poverty. Prem Bahadur BK, a resident of Jajarkot, exemplifies the struggle, having lived in temporary shelter for two and a half years after his house was destroyed in an earthquake. His family relies on remittances from sons working in India, as local agricultural yields are insufficient for survival.

The province's poverty rate stands at 26.69 percent, considerably higher than Nepal's national average of 20.27 percent, with a per capita income of approximately $1,108 against the national $1,535. Districts like Kalikot, Mugu, and Humla are identified as among the country's poorest, and one rural municipality reports a staggering 77.89 percent poverty rate, with most young people migrating for work.

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There is no house and no reliable work. The grains from our three ropanis of hillside land do not feed us even for three months.

Despite a high economically active population, only 41 percent of Karnali's residents worked for more than six months in the past year, leading to a provincial unemployment rate of 46 percent. While initiatives like the Chief Minister Employment Programme have been launched, their effectiveness in creating sustainable local jobs remains unclear due to a lack of consolidated records.

The province possesses potential in hydropower, medicinal herbs, tourism, and agriculture. However, persistent challenges including weak infrastructure, limited access to education and healthcare, low farm productivity, and a heavy reliance on imported food continue to stifle economic growth. The core issue lies not in a lack of resources, but in Karnali's inability to transform them into productive economic activity, leaving many dependent on subsistence farming, government aid, and migration.

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We have spent two-and-a-half years waiting for a new house, but we still do not know when it will be built. Our sons send Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 a month, and that is how we manage.