Nepali farmers plough the recently harvested paddy fields to plant wheat. In most of Nepal, the paddy season is followed by the wheat and coarse grains season. - - General: General. The land-locked Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, with 16 million inhabitants, is one of the poorest countries on earth. Nepal's economy is predominantly agricultural and its few industries, which employ only about 1% of the labour force, rely chiefly on the processing of agricultural products. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has assisted Nepal for many years and presently has 34 active development projects. Major, long-term projects include five in agriculture, three in forestry, three in population education, 11 projects in diverse disciplines financed under trust funds from donor countries and one under FAOà??reedom From Hunger Campaign (FFHC). Eleven short-term projects are funded by FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme.