Nepal, May 19 -- Weather forecasts over the past several months have been failing-last winter was dry, and the expected rain in April/May, which would mark the beginning of the farming calendar, has been largely nominal. A few drizzles helped douse the wildfires that had engulfed large swaths in several districts but not nearly enough to build up soil moisture for summer crops. However, the drought made headlines for a different reason-especially when the wildfires worsened the already polluted air, making Kathmandu the most polluted city globally.

Extreme weather events, including droughts, largely driven by global phenomena, have been wearying our opportunities and attempts to prosper. Key sectors like agriculture and hydropower, which...