“Household Level Adaptation Practices to Climate Change in Rural Areas of
Nepal”
Madhav Giria Maurizio Tiepolob and Sudeep Hadac
a and b - University of Politecnico Di Torino, Italy c - The Small Earth Nepal
12th January, 2015
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Introduction
• Climate change adaptation - the major development agenda in developing countries like Nepal.
• Around 80% of population are engaged in agriculture, although 20% of total land area is cultivated.
• According to NAPA report, Nepal is extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts.
• Adaptation to climate change impact is an emerging areas of research and development in Nepal.
2
Introduction
• Local government and communities in developing countries have limited knowledge and capacity to adapt climate change.
• CC adaptation in rural area is the location specific and critical to identify vulnerable entities and to develop well-targeted adaptation policies.
• Local level adaptation capacity and practices is very important to formulate suitable policy measures to address their livelihood.
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Study Area
Scale 1: 2000000 Nawalparasi
Syangja
Mustang
Kathmandu
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5
Adaptive Capacity Indicators
Determinants of climate change adaptive Capacity
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Figure : Weightage of indicators and assets to structure the aggregate adaptive capacity index in Kagbeni VDC
Determinants of climate change adaptive capacity
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Figure : Weightage of indicators and assets to structure the aggregate adaptive capacity index in Thumpokhara VDC
Determinants of climate change adaptive Capacity
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Figure : Weightage of indicators and assets to structure the aggregate adaptive capacity index in Pragatinagar VDC
Adaptation practices in High Mountain zone
• In high mountains-
- Agricultural farming (Apple cultivation, maize and vegetable production)
- Shifting agricultural calendar
- Reduced livestock number and practiced rotational grazing
- Community sanction on collection of natural resources (Ban Samiti, Mukhiya system)
- Social safety nets (DDC, VDC, ACAP, Religious leader, Mukhiya, Agriculture Service Centre, I/NGOs)
- Hotel business
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Figure: Apple production in Kagbeni Figure: Maize cultivation in Kagbeni
Figure: Vegetable farming in Kagbeni Figure: Animal husbandry in Kagbeni
Agriculture Baisakh
Apr-
May
Jeth
May-
June
Asar
June-
July
Sawan
July-
Aug
Bhadra
Aug-
Sept
Ashoj
Sept-
Oct.
Kartik
Oct-
Nov
Mangsir
Nov-
Dec
Push
Dec-
Jan
Magh
Jan-
Feb
Falgun
Feb-
March
Chaitra
March-
April
1. Potato Now S H
10-15 yrs ago S H
2. Barley Now W H S W W
10-15 yrs ago H S W W
3. Wheat Now H S
10-15 yrs ago H S
4.Buckwheat Now S W W H
10-15 yrs ago S W W H
5. Oat Now H S W W
10-15 yrs ago H S W W
6. Mustard Now S H
10-15 yrs ago S H
7. Apple Now H T T T S
H T T S
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Sowing/
Planting (S)
Harvesting (H) Weeding (W) Trimming (T)
Table : Shifting agriculture calendar in Kagbeni VDC
Adaptation practices in Mid-mountains zone
- Practicing vegetable farming instead of cereal crops
- Optimum utilization of marginal land by planting tress, grass and crops
- Shifting agricultural calendar
- Provision of plastic shed
- Crop diversification
- Rain water harvesting
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Adaptation practices in Terai zone
o They have many adaptation practices compare to high and mid-mountains regions.
- Water management practices (surface irrigation, under-ground water use for irrigation and drinking purpose)
- Farm diversification (vegetable, fruit farming, livestock, poultry and fish farming)
- Crop diversification
- Small business (Income diversification)
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Conclusions and Recommendations
- Adaptive capacity and adaptation practices vary in accordance with location and communities even at the household level.
- Adaptation practice is significantly influenced by all 5 assets in Kagbeni VDC; Human, physical and financial assets in Thumpokhara and Pragatinagar VDC.
- Policy measures needs to focus to increase poor people’s access to technologies, skills for sustainable agriculture production.
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Thank You !! 15
Socio-economic characteristics
Variables
VDC
Unit Pragatinagar Thumpokhara Kagbeni
Family Size Number 5.8 6.4 5.8
Dependency Ratio % 55.4 69.8 53.1
Literacy Rate % 91.2 82.2 75.8
Average Livestock
Holding per family 5.2 6.9 37.7
Radio/Mobile Holding % 98.5 95.4 84.1
Community
Organizations Number 47 31 18
Average time to reach (Physical Assets)
Road Minute 2 90 120
Medical Centre Minute 30 120 120
Market Minute 20 120 120
School Minute 20 120 120
Agriculture/ Livestock
services Minute 30 120 120 16
Socio-economic contd….
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Variables
VDC
Unit Pragatinagar Thumpokhara Kagbeni
Road facility
Black topped road Kilometer 20 5 0
Gravel road Kilometer 120 0 0
Earthern road Kilometer 8 31 27
Irrigation facility % 34.2 27.2 69.2
Seed and grain
storage % 87.4 82.5 83.2
Roof of House
RCC % 16.2 6.2 7.8
Tin and tile % 54.7 72.8 2.6
Thatched roof % 29.1 21.1 0
Mud % 0 0 89.6
Annual Income source
Agriculture % 44 39.1 24.2
Remittance
% 25 28.1 66.7
