Nepal is situated in the temperate region in the southern alp of high Himalayas. Nepal has diverse agro-climatic
conditions with four distinct seasons (spring, rainy, autumn and winter) and has five agro-ecology and physiographic
regions (High Himalaya, High Mountain, Middle Mountain, Siwalik and Terai). Except Terai other regions have four
aspects, which makes at least 30 major agro-climatic zones that favours the seed production of all kinds of vegetable.
Nepal has vast number of vegetables biodiversity adopted in different agro-ecology. Monsoon rain from Arabian sea
and Bay of Bengal and winter rain from Mediterranean Sea and presence of many rivers, rivulet, lakes, ponds and
wetlands makes feasible water managements. Combined with micro-climates and vegetable species and varieties
there is huge prospect of seed production to attend self-sufficiency and export on demanded quantity and quality to
neighbouring counties and could contribute to reduce trade imbalance. All major food crops grown in the world can be
grown in Nepal including vast number of vegetables. Geo-physical settings, agro-ecological variations and vegetable
bio-diversities provide vivid prospects for vegetable seed production in Nepal with comparative advantages.
Despite the suitable climate, comparative advantages with long history of vegetable seed, development, the growth
of domestic vegetable seed industry has remained slow after 1990, due to policy constrains and organizational
anomalies. The research and development work on vegetable and vegetable seed is inadequate and extension program
is not effective during recent years. There are different challenges and gaps to propel such huge prospect and to
realize the benefit of vegetable seed sector. Governments, donors and development partners are interested in fresh
vegetable production; however, they do not give priorities to Nepali Seed but promotes use of imported hybrids.
Despite increasing area and production of fresh vegetable during the past three decades, Nepali market largely relies
on imports to fulfil national demand of vegetable seed. This paper suggests rectifying the distorted scenario with
the reformation of organization and policy with the proactive initiation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Development.
Keywords: Agro-Biodiversity, Challenges, Prospects, Reformation, Vegetable-seeds