Nepal, Sept. 13 -- August is when Nepal's paddy fields are at their most vibrant. After months of planting, weeding and caring for their crops, this season calls for farmers to grow hopeful of the harvest. Farmers in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading were no different. They had worked through the monsoon, waiting for paddy to ripen.

Then came the flood on August 26. In places where the water arrived suddenly, there was little to no time to respond. A farmer can watch the sky, watch the river, and prepare for heavy rain. But when floods come down pouring, without any warning, there is nothing she can do about it.

And this is not the first time; Rasuwa experienced a similar devastating flood last year, with farmland and livelihoods affected. Y...