Nepal, Aug. 18 -- After six frantic weeks of a dry monsoon, it finally rained in Tarai on August 1, offering some relief to farmers who had nearly given up hope of planting rice this year. However, the drought story isn't new, nor is it limited to Tarai alone. What's happening in the region is just the tip of the iceberg of what communities across the country have experienced in recent decades.

The 2022 Climate Change survey identified droughts as Nepal's most pressing environmental challenge, with the country's water sources dwindling in the last 25 years. Springs and rivulets are drying up in the mountains, and groundwater levels are dropping significantly in Tarai. One is compelled to confront the possibility that a large part of the ...