Assessment and prioritization of community soil and water conservation measures for adaptation to climatic stresses in Makawanpur district of Nepal

Abstract

Climate change is the global concern of our sustainable development whose impact is of great concern to humanity. In Nepal, we are already starting to become aware of recent changes and developing the mechanism to adapt. A study was carried out in Bramha Thakur Community Forest User Group of Makawanpur district with an objective of assessing and prioritizing adaptation options by local community using soil and water conservation measures on climate change. Primary data were collected from direct observation, focus group discussion, key informant interview, preference ranking and transect walk. Meteorological data on temperature and rainfall of 30 years was collected from government sources and climatic trend was analyzed. Prioritization of adaptation options was done using Index of Usefulness of Practices to Adaptation (IUPA) tool developed by Debels et al. (2010). Monthly maximum value of daily maximum temperature and minimum temperature has increased by 0.0461°C and 0.12°C respectively. Numbers of warm days are increasing. Annual precipitation has increased steadily whereas maximum five days and monthly precipitation trend is increasing at high rate, alarming to hazards induced by climate change. Local people were found very resourceful in using various adaptation practices to deal with impacts of climate change. IUPA scoring provided important rankings on the adaptation options. Conservation pond was highly prioritized for drought management. To adapt with flood, engineering structures with or without vegetation were highly used as adaptation option. Bamboo plantation was highly preferred by local community to reduce the impacts of landslide and to prevent its occurrence. Bioengineering structures are highly recommended for long term stability in flooded and landslide affected areas. Further studies on adaptation options and their prioritization in more areas are recommended for comprehensive database and generalization. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jowe.v6i0.6997 J Wet Eco 2012 (6): 44-51

Climatic Variability and Land Use Change in Kamala Watershed, Sindhuli District, Nepal

“…The result is in accordance with the result of MoPE (2004) in which the average annual precipitation trend is decreasing in central Nepal [17] and more specifically, all over Nepal is decreasing at the rate of 9.8 mm/decade [30]. The result is similar to a research conducted in Makwanpur district, which also lies in the Chure with the increase in number of warm days and decrease in cooler days [31]. The variations in rainfall trend obtained in the study area declined in pre−monsoon rainfall at Sindhuli Gadhi, Bahun Tiplung, Patharkot (East), Tulsi, Chisapani Bazar and Lahan out of 10 stations and decrease in winter rainfall in all stations is in accordance with different researches conducted along different places of Nepal [17,31].…”

“…The result is similar to a research conducted in Makwanpur district, which also lies in the Chure with the increase in number of warm days and decrease in cooler days [31]. The variations in rainfall trend obtained in the study area declined in pre−monsoon rainfall at Sindhuli Gadhi, Bahun Tiplung, Patharkot (East), Tulsi, Chisapani Bazar and Lahan out of 10 stations and decrease in winter rainfall in all stations is in accordance with different researches conducted along different places of Nepal [17,31]. The significant station wise annual rainfall trend is obtained in Sindhuli Gadhi, Patharkot (East), Udayapur Gadhi and Lahan.…”

Bamboo

“…In Nepal bamboo plantation was highly preferred by local community to reduce the impacts of landslide (Paudel and Kafle 2012). Species like B. bambos, B. balcooa, B. vulgaris, B. tulda, D. hamiltonii, D. membranaceus, D. strictus, D. longispathus and M. baccifera are usually planted at closer space on the lands susceptible to floods and along riverbanks with higher clump and culm densities for embankment protection.…”

Status, Importance and Major Issues in Water Source in Watershed of Chitwan, Nepal

“…Further, in the downstream area, projects such as Khageri irrigation projects, Panchapokhari irrigation, and solar water pumping in artificial pond like Rhino Tal, Thulo Ghol and Gunumandre Ghol for wildlife have been implemented. Likewise, Dhungana et al (2020) have also mentioned that bamboo plantation, application of bio-engineering measures (Paudel and Kafle 2012), construction of conservation ponds and planting drought resistant crops are the most successful adaptation measures for livelihood of forest dependent people. Furthermore, adaptation and management activities needed to be done are: appropriate monitoring of sources, awareness programs, river bank protection, landslide treatment, land-use restoration, rainwater harvesting, plantation in degraded and open area water source protection, incentive mechanism for farmers for water source protection, capital funding for water sources and integrated planning for conservation and management of the sub-watershed.…”