Climate change and high-altitude food security: a small-scale study from the Karnali region in Nepal

ABSTRACT

This study attempted to understand the local perspective on climate change and its impacts on agriculture and household food security in the Karnali region of Nepal – one of the most inaccessible and least researched mountain regions in Nepal. Using the small-scale survey data collected in 2017 from farm households in Tatopani rural municipality of Jumla district, the study found that a majority of households perceived changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, timing of seasons, incidence of drought and water availability, compared with the situation 10 years ago (2007 or earlier). They perceived mixed impacts of climate change on the production of major crops: a decline in the production of brown rice, wheat and barley, and an increase in the production of potato and local beans. Food security analysis showed that farm households had low dietary diversity, and 42% of them were food insecure. Regression analysis found that perceived climate-induced changes in water availability, timing of seasons, incidence of hazards and incidence of crop pest attacks had negative relationship with household food security. Based on the findings, the study suggested some key strategies to improve local food security in the face of climate change in the study area and other similar areas.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• agriculture
• household food security
• mountains
• Karnali region
• Nepal

Acknowledgments

This article is based on first author’s Master Degree research completed in the Department of Environmental Science in Khwopa College, Bhaktapur, Nepal (affiliated with Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu). The work of the second author who supervised the research was supported by core funds of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) contributed by the governments of Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Switzerland.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent authors’ organizations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is a hilly and mountainous region which extends 3500 km across eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Pakistan – covering an area of 3.4 million km², and accommodating 240 million people.

2 Karnali province has 10 districts – Dailekh, Dolpa, Humla, Jajarkot, Jumla, Kalikot, Mugu, Salyan, Surkhet and Western Rukum.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partly supported by ICIMOD, Nepal.

Notes on contributors

Sandhya Thapa

Ms. Sandhya Thapa is an independent researcher currently working on the nexus of climate change and household food security in high mountains of Nepal. She completed her Master Degree in Environmental Science with major ‘Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management’ from Khwopa College, Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. Ms. Thapa also worked in the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) for short period of time in 2019.

Abid Hussain

Dr. Abid Hussain is currently working as Food Security Economist at ICIMOD. He supervises a group on socioeconomics and research methods within ICIMOD's Livelihoods Theme. His research and policy work focuses on mountain agriculture, food and nutrition security, agrobiodiversity, rural credit, and climate change adaptation. He has around 16 years of experience in research, development, and policy processes. He also served at management positions in financial sector and as a faculty member in the economics department of two public sector universities in Pakistan: University of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. Hussain has published book chapters and technical reports as well as several articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He is also a member of the editorial board of two journals – Humanities and Social Sciences Communications – Nature and PLOS ONE.