Nepal’s agriculture is undergoing a significant transformation. The indigenous seeds, once the backbone of Nepal's traditional farming system, are vanishing, while hybrid seeds are occupying the market. But what exactly are indigenous seeds and hybrid seeds, and why does this shift matter?

Hybrid seeds are genetically developed for higher yields with specific desired traits by crossing two different parent plants. Hybrids are popular in Nepal’s Terai region and commercial farming zones due to their high yield and market demand. However, hybrids often require higher inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation to reach their potential.

In contrast, indigenous seeds are traditional seeds that have been cultivated, selected, and preserved by farmers over generations. They are adapted to a local environment and are resilient in the face of environmental stresses like drought, pests, and diseases. These include local varieties like Jumli Marsi rice, Bhaktapur local cucumber, Anadi rice, etc, which not only support the food system but also preserve biodiversity and cultural heritage. Indigenous seeds are ideal for low-input, climate-resilient, and sustainable farming systems. They can be reused year after year, helping preserve seed sovereignty and reduce dependency.

According to the Economic Survey 2023/24, agriculture contributes about 24% to Nepal’s GDP, and 62% of families rely on farming for their livelihood. This makes the issue of the seed a national and economic issue more than a technical issue.

As Nepal balances modernization with sustainability, understanding the strengths, limitations, and use of both seed types is crucial. While hybrids provide short-term gains, indigenous seeds offer long-term resilience. So, balancing innovation with tradition could be the key to achieving sustainable agriculture in Nepal.

The Decline of Indigenous Seeds in Urban Farming Hubs

Bhaktapur, once celebrated as the agricultural heart of the Kathmandu Valley, is facing challenges in indigenous seed preservation. With rapidly shrinking farmland due to urbanization, traditional farming practices and indigenous seeds to sustain them are declining.

During field visits to Bode of Bhaktapur, a semi-urban farming area, farmer Ramesh Tamang said, “Earlier, we used to grow Seto Makai, Taichin rice, and local lentils, but now we can’t even find the seeds easily to cultivate. Also, the land has become so expensive that people prefer to sell rather than farm.”

"They grow faster, sell quicker, and look better in the market," another young farmer, Sita Maharjan, explained about hybrid varieties. “But they lack the taste. The seeds our grandparents used were tastier and more resistant to pests.” 

As urbanization advances in places like Bode, farmers are losing both their land and cultural significance. The widening gap between traditional agriculture is not just about seed but represents cultural and ecological loss. The loss of farmland in Bhaktapur is symbolic of a larger trend across Nepal: as cities expand and agriculture becomes commercialized, smallholder farmers are being pushed away from traditional, sustainable practices.

Current Trends and Data on Indigenous and Hybrid Seed Use

Hybrid seeds have seen a rapid rise across Nepal, particularly in Terai and mid-hill commercial zones. Their appeal lies in:

• High yield

• Fast returns

• Uniformity in produce

• Compatibility with off-season and cash-crop production

Recent national reports show shifting trends in Nepal’s seed usage. According to the Agriculture Census 2021/22, 56.3% of paddy farmers still use local or indigenous seed varieties, while 27.2% use improved varieties, and 16.5% use hybrid seeds. A decade earlier, hybrid usage was only 5.4%, which is now 16.5% which shows a significant increase in hybrids over time.

As per Mordor Intelligence (2024), about 73% of vegetable seeds and 60% of hybrid maize and rice seeds used in Nepal were imported, mostly from India and China. This growing dependency on imported seeds puts Nepal’s seed sovereignty and agricultural resilience at risk.

Experts warn that nearly 50% of Nepal’s indigenous crop varieties are either extinct or on the verge of extinction due to disuse, displacement by hybrids, and changes in land use. Without urgent interventions, we could lose the remaining ones forever.

Nepal has officially registered 745 varieties of 85 crops, but among them, only 25 are indigenous varieties. This underlines how poorly indigenous seeds are integrated into national programs.

This trend shows increasing use of hybrid seeds for market value and short-term productivity, while the decline of indigenous seeds threatens long-term sustainability. By acknowledging these trends, Nepal can design smarter agricultural policies and strategies to build a resilient seed system for sustainability.

Why Indigenous Seeds Matter for Sustainable Development

Indigenous seeds aren’t just antiquity, they are the salvation for sustainable agriculture. In the context of Nepal’s varied geography, climate vulnerability, and rural livelihood structure, these seeds hold unmatched value for achieving long-term development goals.

Over the years, indigenous seeds have developed adaptability to local soil, environment, rainfall, and pests, which makes them naturally climate-resilient to perform better in low-input and stress-prone environments. Tilak Dhakal, Chair of Raithane Agri Products, explains, “Indigenous seeds are cost-effective for small farmers and hold immense genetic diversity, which is crucial for long-term food security and resilience.” 

Beyond agronomic advantages, indigenous seeds carry Nepal’s cultural identity and food heritage. Many are linked to local rituals, traditional dishes, and festivals like Marsi rice during Dashain or Gahat daal in Maghe Sankranti. Preserving these seeds not only sustains agriculture but also protects ancestral knowledge and biodiversity.

Ecologically, they enhance soil fertility, support agrobiodiversity, and reduce monoculture dependency. Economically, indigenous seeds offer significant potential in the growing organic and premium niche product markets, especially among health-conscious urban consumers and international buyers seeking traditional, chemical-free products.

Moreover, these seeds represent seed sovereignty and the freedom of farmers to save, share, and reproduce their seeds without restriction. This is vital for resisting dependency on external seed corporations, especially when hybrid and GMO varieties dominate commercial channels.

Challenges to Using Indigenous Seeds

Despite advantages, indigenous seeds face multiple challenges in Nepal’s current agricultural system. One major barrier is the lack of awareness and accessibility. As the market is overwhelmed with hybrid and improved seeds, indigenous varieties are disappearing from farmers’ fields. This may be due to a decline in intergenerational knowledge transfer and limited commercial distribution of indigenous seeds. 

Mukund Bhattarai, communication officer of the National Gene Bank, explains that seed collection is often difficult in mountainous and geographically isolated regions. The cost of collecting, storing, and conserving indigenous seeds is high, and without consistent government investment, the process is slow. Only 25 indigenous seed varieties have been officially registered, although hundreds more are in use.

There’s also a lack of baseline data and digital documentation. Most indigenous seeds have not been genetically profiled or included in national crop databases, making research, breeding, and legal protection difficult.

Additionally, indigenous crops are often undervalued in markets. Because of their lower yields and niche consumer demand, many traders and buyers prefer uniform, hybrid crops. This discourages farmers from growing traditional varieties, even if they recognize their long-term benefits.

Another major obstacle is the low level of institutional support. The National Seed Vision 2013-2025 acknowledges the importance of indigenous varieties, but implementation remains inconsistent across different regions and crops. In Nepal, the Seed Regulation (2013), specifically Rules 12 and By-Rules 2: Annex D, includes provisions for registering farmers’ local varieties, but certification remains a challenge. Without formal labeling systems or consistent seed quality protocols, indigenous seeds remain sidelined in the formal market system.

Another issue is labor intensity. Many indigenous crops require manual processing, selective harvesting, or traditional storage methods that are time-consuming and unfamiliar to newer generations of farmers. With growing rural-to-urban migration, there's a shortage of young farmers willing or able to invest time and energy in these crops.

Lastly, the formal seed system (government, companies, agrovets) gets more support than the informal system (community exchanges, farmer-saved seeds), which still supplies 78% of seeds in Nepal. This mismatch leaves traditional systems underfunded, unrecognized, and vulnerable.

In short, the challenges facing indigenous seeds are not inherent to the seeds themselves but arise from systemic neglect, policy gaps, market biases, and the undervaluation of farmer knowledge.

Institutional Efforts to Preserve Seed Sovereignty

Nepal’s growing reliance on hybrid seeds has triggered concern among researchers, seed advocates, and farming communities. But efforts are underway to reverse the decline of indigenous seed systems.

The National Agriculture Genetic Resource Center (NAGRC), under the Ministry of Agriculture, has a National Gene Bank that conserves over 18,000 indigenous seed varieties using long-term, medium-term, and short-term storage technologies. 

Mr. Bhattarai shared that out of the 75 community seed banks spread across Nepal, just about 50 are still active. He explained, “Our aim is long-term preservation. We conserve seeds that are disappearing from farmers’ fields. But conservation alone isn’t enough; they must be used, grown, and shared.”

LI-BIRD, a national NGO, has focused on promoting biodiversity, farmer rights, and climate resilience. Since 1995. 

Niranjan Pudasaini, Strategic Programme Lead at LI-BIRD, explains that 78% of seeds used by Nepalese farmers come from informal systems, yet government support is directed mostly to the 22% of formal seed systems.”

LI-BIRD, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC), National Gene Bank, and the Seed Quality Control Centre (SQCC), has helped register 25 indigenous varieties, establish 25 community seed banks, and support on-farm conservation of over 1,400 varieties of 75 different crops. LI-BIRD’s strategy includes participatory plant breeding, niche marketing, farmer training, and policy advocacy.LI-BIRD promotes the idea of “farmers as breeders,” the right of farmers to save, use, and exchange their seeds freely. And emphasizes that modernization should complement, not replace, the traditional systems.

Established in 2076 BS with an investment of NRs. 2.25 crore, Raithane Agri Products now cultivates 22 indigenous varieties. which centers on value addition and branding. “Marketing is not a problem when you have a clear identity and quality,” says Dhakal. Their products are organically grown, pesticide-free, and offer distinctive taste profiles that are increasingly in demand.

Challenges persist, including:

• Limited seed certification frameworks

• Poor documentation and registration support

• Lack of branding and marketing platforms

• Knowledge gaps due to youth migration

Progress is underway, but stronger policy backing is needed to mainstream these initiatives. The provisions in the Seed Act 2008 now allow local-level registration of indigenous seeds. Through partnerships with the National Gene Bank, NARC, and SQCC, farmers can now register and multiply their seeds legally and access support systems.

Hybrid and Indigenous: Can They Coexist?

The debate shouldn’t be about using hybrid or indigenous seeds, it should be about how to use both wisely and strategically. Each has its strengths, and both are necessary in a diversified, resilient agricultural system.

Hybrid seeds are ideal for large-scale, commercial, off-season farming, especially in Terai regions where infrastructure and market access are stronger. They are best suited for vegetables and high-value crops where uniformity and productivity are critical.

Indigenous seeds are better suited for small farm holders, subsistence farming, organic agriculture, agro tourism areas, and premium markets. Their adaptability to local conditions, low input needs, and cultural relevance make them invaluable for long-term sustainability.

This segregation will ensure diversity, autonomy, and sustainability, rather than allowing one system to dominate or erase the other. The key lies in creating separate value chains and market platforms, where both systems thrive on their strengths without replacing each other.

This dual-track strategy requires:

• Government support for both seed systems

• Clear labeling, certification, and branding

• Farmer training on seed diversity and business models

• Marketing support and market linkage infrastructure

• Data systems to document, trace, and protect indigenous varieties

As Pudasaini notes, “We need to offer farmers a real choice, not just between seeds, but between futures.”

Reviving Hope: What Needs to Be Done?

To ensure Nepal’s agricultural sustainability, Nepal must invest in inclusive seed systems that:

1. Prioritize indigenous seeds in national planning and budget

2. Strengthen community seed banks and on-farm conservation

3. Strengthen both formal and informal seed frameworks

4. Support seed registration, certification, and marketing

5. Educate youth and farmers about the traditional seed value

6. Support farmer training, branding, and product certification

7. Link seed producers with cooperatives and local markets

8. Document and digitally map indigenous seed data

“Seed certification should be treated as a farmer’s right,” Bhattarai asserted. “We need policies that empower communities, not just companies.”

Reviving indigenous seeds isn’t just about preservation, it's about providing farmers with real choices, reducing external dependency, and building climate resilience.

Planting Seeds of Sustainability

The beauty of indigenous seeds lies not just in what they yield, but in what they preserve: cultural identity, ecological harmony, and a sustainable future.

In the words of the National Gene Bank’s long-term vision: “For all and for always.”

The story of Nepal’s agriculture is still being written. But the direction we choose toward dependency or diversity, toward quick returns or lasting resilience, will define our future.

As Pudasaini said, “Modernization should not mean replacement. It should mean integration and synergy.”

So, it’s time to move beyond the hybrid-or-indigenous debate and build systems where both can thrive. By recognizing the value of indigenous knowledge and investing wisely, Nepal can grow not just food but a more sustainable, sovereign, and inclusive future.

“Hybrids may feed our pockets. But indigenous seeds feed our soil, our culture, and our soul.”