Bajhang, April 28 -- Last year around this time, Sher Bahadur Khati and his family members were busy harvesting winter crops. The farming household from Ward No 2 of Thalara Rural Municipality would start harvesting wheat, barley and lentils from mid-March. But this spring, they find themselves idling away, says Khati.

"We had cultivated winter crops in around 25 ropanis of farmland but the exceptionally prolonged drought this year has left us with a barren field," said Khati.

Over 400 farmers in Bagada, Karalkada, Dhanada, Katra, Beradi, Ainbada, Dangaji and Tetibada of the rural municipality rely on rainwater to irrigate their farmlands. Like Khati, most farmers this year find themselves in a difficult situation because of the long dr...