From Remittance to Resilience

Foreign employment has become far more than a source of income for Nepal. It has reshaped the country's social fabric, aspirations and way of life. The migration of millions of young Nepalis reflects both the lack of opportunities at home and the possibilities created by globalisation. More importantly, it has enabled workers to acquire skills, discipline and experience that can become valuable assets if properly utilised upon their return. The story of Tej Bahadur Gharti Magar from Baglung illustrates this potential. After spending 16 years working in the Gulf, he returned home and started a goat farming business. What began with just eight goats has grown into a commercial enterprise with more than 150 animals. He has modernised his livestock sheds, cultivated fodder on previously barren land and adopted a market-oriented approach. At a time when many villages are losing their young population despite improvements in infrastructure, his efforts have helped revive his community. His success demonstrates that determination, combined with the right opportunities, can create prosperity at home. Many returning migrant workers share similar experiences. Years of working overseas teach them more than how to earn money. They develop a strong work ethic, discipline, time management skills and the ability to take calculated risks. Yet Nepal has largely failed to harness this valuable human capital.

While remittances continue to sustain millions of households, the knowledge and entrepreneurial potential of returning workers remain underutilised. Remittances currently account for nearly a quarter of Nepal's gross domestic product and play a crucial role in supporting household consumption, education, healthcare and foreign exchange reserves. However, much of this income is spent on consumption rather than productive investment, leaving the country heavily dependent on imports. This highlights the need to shift the national focus from remittance dependence to productive entrepreneurship. Returnee migrants like Gharti Magar represent an opportunity to make that transition. The government must therefore move beyond viewing foreign employment simply as a source of remittance. Returning workers should be recognised as entrepreneurs capable of generating employment, revitalising rural economies and strengthening domestic production. Access to affordable credit, simplified business registration, technical assistance and market linkages should become central elements of public policy. Agriculture, livestock farming, small industries and service enterprises can all benefit from the experience and savings accumulated by migrant workers abroad. Changing public perception is equally important. Agriculture should no longer be regarded as a last resort for the poor but as a viable and profitable profession.

All three tiers of government should encourage young people to pursue commercial farming by facilitating the productive use of barren land, expanding irrigation, promoting technology transfer and strengthening value chains through better transportation, cold storage and cooperative networks. Financial institutions should also prioritise returnee entrepreneurs by offering tailored financial products and financial literacy programmes. Nepal's long-term prosperity cannot rely indefinitely on exporting its workforce. The country must create an environment where returning migrants can confidently invest their savings, skills and experience at home. Such policies would not only reduce youth migration and capital flight but also restore abandoned farmland, generate employment and strengthen rural communities. The message is clear: the skills acquired abroad should become the foundation of prosperity at home. If the government succeeds in creating the right policies and incentives, thousands of Nepalis working overseas will see a future in their own country. Only then can Nepal gradually transform its remittance-dependent economy into one driven by production, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.