Kathmandu: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr Madan Prasad Pariyar, warned of an impending water crisis, emphasizing the need for regional collaboration to ensure water security. The announcement was made during a strategic dialogue organized by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Pariyar highlighted the alarming fact that nearly 4 billion people face water scarcity annually. He stressed that regional cooperation and coordinated efforts are essential to mitigate the risk of depleting water resources. He cautioned that unchecked water crises could lead to humanitarian emergencies, increase migration pressures, and potentially cause instability.
The dialogue, themed ‘Water Conservation and Innovation amid Global Climate Challenges: Insights from the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative’, underscored the pressing nature of the water crisis. The Water Initiatives, launched by President Mohamed bin Zayed in February 2024, aim to offer practical solutions for communities facing water scarcity and to promote environmental conservation.
Minister Pariyar noted that water conservation and innovation have become central to global stability and human well-being. Despite Nepal’s abundance of water resources, many communities experience critical shortages during dry months. He expressed concern over the drying up of water springs in the mid-hills, increased groundwater extraction in the Terai region, and threats to village water systems due to climate change and population growth.
The Minister emphasized the need for coordinated action, scientific planning, technological innovation, community partnerships, and international cooperation for water conservation. He highlighted the importance of trans-boundary collaboration and regional cooperation, shared data systems, joint scientific research, early-warning mechanisms, and coordinated basin-level planning.
Minister Pariyar also noted the strong relations between Nepal and the UAE, built on mutual trust and shared aspirations for sustainable prosperity. UAE Ambassador to Nepal, Abdulla Saeed Mubarak Jarwan Al Shamsi, echoed the Minister’s concerns, urging the protection of water as a fundamental resource for life, development, and the environment. He emphasized that sustainable water management is crucial in the face of climate change, pollution, and population growth.
The Ambassador remarked that the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative is a visionary global response to water scarcity. The initiative prioritizes advanced technologies such as desalination and direct support to vulnerable countries. Globally, the UAE, in collaboration with Senegal, is preparing to host the United Nations Water Summit in 2026.
Dr Naresh Subedi, representing the NTNC, highlighted the organization’s partnership with the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund of the UAE. The fund, based in Abu Dhabi, supports global species conservation, having contributed to 3,100 projects in 170 countries, including Nepal, and safeguarded 1,900 species from extinction.