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Agriculture is the main source of income and livelihood of 66% of rural population in Nepal (MOAC 2009), with about 80% of population depend on subsistence farming, and have major concerns on household food security and poor nutrition (FAO 2009). FAO food deprivation data 2005-07 for Nepal showed that 4.5 million people live under the condition of undernourishment (FAO STAT 2011). Cereal crops are the staple food and contribute major share in area and production. Growing cereal crops year after year or intensive cereal production (short duration paddy, spring maize) systems have led to the degradation soil fertility, soil health, pest disease dynamics and soil erosion. Pulses (grain legumes) are important in terms of nutrition and subsistence farming. It plays role in enhancing the soil fertility by symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Pulses supply the major part of the dietary protein (20-25% protein by weight, which is 2-3 times that of wheat and rice) for majority of poor who cannot afford expensive animal protein and vegetarians. Crop residues and by-products are valuable as fodder, feed and firewood. In 2009,pulses (excluding soybean) export and import were of US$ 75,459,000 and US$ 29,184,000, respectively (FAO 2011). 
Since 1995, the long-term (20 year) strategy for the agricultural sector has been the Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP), a strategic document that was formulated in the mid-1990s with the support of Government of Nepal and development partners.
