The Economy of Nepal | Dr. Ramesh Paudel | TEDxIOE Pulchowk

Nepal's Advantages

• Nepal has abundant natural resources, including eight of the world's ten highest mountains, offering potential for clean water, energy, adventure tourism, and spiritual tourism.
• Nepal is geographically close to large markets, with nearly 42% of the world's population living in neighboring countries.
• Nepal has a favorable demographic dividend, with a large working-age population and a relatively low dependency ratio.
• Nepal has experienced improvements in social indicators and is on track to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status based on social development indicators and economic vulnerability.

Reasons for Slow Economic Growth

• Nepal's economic growth has been slow compared to neighboring countries due to political instability, bad governance, lack of institutional development, and policy inconsistencies.
• Nepal has focused on political revolutions for distribution rather than production, leading to a slowdown in growth prospects.
• Mistakes in policymaking, such as promoting consumption of junk food and importing construction materials, have also contributed to economic challenges.
• Nepal's education system does not adequately support the country's production and consumption systems, hindering economic development.
• Nepal lost its comparative advantage in the international economy due to a lack of focus on technology and domestic resources.

Recommendations for Economic Development

• Nepal should focus on upgrading indigenous technology and utilizing local resources to create employment and boost the economy.
• Improving governance quality, the legal system, and the environment for business is crucial to attract investment and maintain a positive business climate.
• Redesigning the education policy to address existing drawbacks is necessary.
• The Nepali diaspora can act as volunteer ambassadors to promote tourism, capital transfer, and knowledge transfer, thereby connecting local resources with the international market.
• Economic development should focus on agriculture-based industries, tourism, and hydropower, with policies and education aligned accordingly.
• Nepal should embrace second-generation reforms, focusing on institution building, quality infrastructure, better connectivity, and economic nationalism.
• By implementing these measures, Nepal can maintain economic nationalism and uplift hundreds of products with improved technology for a better comparative advantage in the international market.
• Adopting these strategies will also contribute to achieving a circular economy, which is the current target of the global economy.