Exploring perceptions and influences of local stakeholders on climate change adaptation in Central and Western Tarai, Nepal

ABSTRACT

We explore and analyse the perceptions and influences of local stakeholders on climate adaptation in 2 valleys of Nepal through a questionnaire survey. Altogether 24 and 21 local stakeholders were approached for survey in the Madi and Deukhuri valleys, respectively. We assume multiple factors and stakeholders' perceptions influence the policies and practices at the local level. We found floods, droughts, cold waves and riverbank erosion to be the major climatic hazards that eventually impacted on agriculture, livestock and properties. It was found that the farmers dealt with these impacts based on traditional knowledge and practices, followed by the support provided by stakeholders and neighbors/communities. The major supports provided were mainly on training and awareness, risk analysis, livelihood and financial support, coordination and networking, and facilitating policy formulation. They emphasized the capacity enhancement, appropriate technologies, community-based planning, prioritization of the poor and marginalized, community funds as the top priorities for the communities. The public stakeholders are influential in adaptation policies/plans, whereas private and civic stakeholders are influential in adaptation practices. An issue-/interest-based governance model is effective and sustainable with the active participation of stakeholders. Thus, a shift from the position-based to the issue-/interest-based model is appropriate in climate adaptation in Nepal.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change adaptation
• local stakeholders
• Madi
• Deukhuri
• Nepal

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the invaluable support and contribution of 1. Mr. Chuda Raj Giri, the staff of Regional office GIZ INCLUDE, Nepalgunj; 2. Mr. Kailash Chaudhary and Usha Chaudhary, the staff of Shakhi Cooperatives, Gadhawa Rural Municipality; 3. Dr. Ujjal Tiwari, Programme Director and other field staff of Forum for Rural Welfare for Agricultural Reform and Development, Nepal (FORWARD-NEPAL), NGO based in Bharatpur, Chitwan.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Shree Kumar Maharjan belong to Indigenous Newar Nationalities, who is currently a teaching fellow in the Graduate School of International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, Japan. He has been studying and researching on the issues of climate change adaptation in agriculture, indigenous peoples' rights, participatory approaches, community-based biodiversity management for almost a decade. He has more than dozens of publications on these issues.

Prof. Keshav Lall Maharjan has been teaching rural economics, rural development and Asian cultures and supporting to the graduate students as an academic advisor for more than 2 decades in the international development and cooperation, Hiroshima University, Japan.

Notes

1 V. S. is Vikram Sambhat, Nepalese Calendar which is 57 years earlier than A.D.