Politicians, planners and agricultural scientists are unanimous in making their posi tion clear on agricultural development as the precursor of overall development in Nepal. The emotional plea usually comes out as a sound byte loud enough to be heard by anybody who counts and one who can think in this country. And that's where it ends. The result of last forty years of plan11ed development is in front of everybody to evaluate along with the rhetoric and some truth of giving agricultural sector top priority. Nepal is still one of the poorest countries in the world. The agricultural production has not kept pace with population growth and the productivity of major food grains has been stagnant. The country has become the net importer of food grain from the exporter status. Constraints, emerging trends, potential for increased productivity of cereals and strategy to secure food security in Nepal has been discussed.

Politicians, planners and agricultural scientists are unanimous in making their posi tion clear on agricultural development as the precursor of overall development in Nepal. The emotional plea usually comes out as a sound byte loud enough to be heard by anybody who counts and one who can think in this country. And that's where it ends. The result of last forty years of plan11ed development is in front of everybody to evaluate along with the rhetoric and some truth of giving agricultural sector top priority. Nepal is still one of the poorest countries in the world. The agricultural production has not kept pace with population growth and the productivity of major food grains has been stagnant. The country has become the net importer of food grain from the exporter status. Constraints, emerging trends, potential for increased productivity of cereals and strategy to secure food security in Nepal has been discussed.