Multi-stakeholder workshop shapes future of dairy innovation and policy in Nepal

As Nepal positions itself to meet growing national demand for safe, nutritious dairy while tackling climate and productivity challenges, over 50 stakeholders gathered on May 13–14, 2025, for a national co-design workshop. The event served as a platform to co-develop a Theory of Change for Nepal’s dairy value chain under the CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF) Science Program.

Held at Chandragiri Hill Resort near Kathmandu, the workshop brought together researchers, government agencies, development partners, private sector players, and academics. The goal: identify priority research areas, design scalable innovation packages, and align efforts around a common vision for sustainable dairy transformation.

From productivity gaps to policy-aligned innovation

The transition from the SAPLING (Sustainable Animal Productivity for Livelihoods, Income, Nutrition and Gender Inclusion) Initiative to the broader SAAF program reflects Nepal’s evolving needs. According to Fred Unger, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) regional representative – South, East and Southeast Asia  said “Nepal is among the first countries globally to co-design its dairy roadmap under this program, showing strong national leadership and partnership readiness.”

Currently, Nepal’s crossbred dairy cattle and buffalo yield an average of 3,000 and 1800 litres per lactation respectively well below potential. During the workshop, stakeholders set an ambitious goal: a 50% increase in dairy cattle productivity and a 30% boost for buffalo by 2035 from the current level. Achieving this will require genetic improvements, affordable quality feed, and solutions for addressing widespread infertility and health issues among dairy herds, apart from marketing.

Doj Raj Khanal, executive director of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, emphasized the urgency: “We must improve productivity while protecting the environment and ensuring inclusion of women and youth. This is the moment to act.”

Co-design in action: five priority areas

Participants broke into thematic groups aligned with the program’s six focus areas: productivity, climate and environment, One Health, market systems, digital and data and gender and social inclusion. Each group used evidence-based methods to identify problems, define research questions, and propose innovation packages.

Key areas of focus included:

• Genomic selection and participatory breeding for improved genetics
• Climate-resilient forage systems and methane-reducing feed practices
• One Health surveillance models to control zoonotic disease risks
• Digital platforms for inclusive access to dairy services and training
• Behavior change campaigns to increase adoption of milk powder and fortified dairy products

“The theory of change process helped us think clearly about who we are targeting and what change we want,” said Manju Maharjan from the Nepal Veterinary Lab.

Practical outcomes with strong local ownership

Outputs from the two-day session included prioritized research themes, detailed innovation packages, and proposed short- and long-term outcomes. These will feed into Nepal’s national SAAF Theory of Change and inform the country’s research and implementation strategy over the coming years.

Samjhana Kafle, joint secretary from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development highlighted the value of collaboration: “It is good that we are co-designing the program with the involvement of government, university, NGOs, private sector, and development organizations. The approaches we create here could inform other countries too.”

Private sector experts echoed the need for alignment. “After 25 years in this sector, I see that unless we do this together, impact will remain limited,” noted Binod Gupta, a dairy entrepreneur.

What’s next?

Yanamani Nepal, a scientist at ILRI closed the workshop by reaffirming the importance of continued partnership. “This is just the inception. The energy and insights gathered here will guide how we scale innovations and deliver results for farmers, consumers, and the environment.”

The workshop outcomes will be consolidated and refined into a final Theory of Change document, which will also inform monitoring, learning, and future investment strategies under the SAAF program in Nepal.