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National Adaptation Program of Actions

to Climate Change and

Agro-biodiversity Management in Nepal

Hari Dahal

Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives

Kathmandu, Nepal

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Geography of the Country

• 26o22'N to 30o27'N latitude and 80o40'E to 88o12'E longitude

• Total area 147,181 km2

• Physiographic regions- Himalayas, High-mountains, Hills, Siwaliks,

and Terai

• Possesses high level of biodiversity at genetic, species and ecosystem levels

• More than 6000 river system

• Forest cover about 40% of the total area

• Total projected population 28.37 million.

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Physiographic Regions

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Physiographic Regions

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Ecological Diversity

India

China

terai

inner terai

siwalic

mahabharat

middle mountain

high mountain

the himalaya

tans-himalaya

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Climate of the Country1

• Four distinct seasons - pre-monsoon, monsoon, post-monsoon and winter.

• Annual mean temp. 150C varying with altitude

• Average temp. rise by 0.060C/year (1971-1994) which is higher than the global average.

• Nepal experienced twelve warmest years from 1987 to 2008.

• Mean max. temp. in Terai decreased during winter season coincided with cold wave and foggy weather.

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Climate of the Country2

• Major rainfall due to monsoon (1800mm) in summer, and Mediterranean wind in winter

• Variation from 300mm trans-Himalaya to 5500mm in the central middle-mountain.

• Avg. increase in monsoon rain by 3mm/year (1976-2005), general increasing trend of monsoon rain except mid-western region (where is avg. decrease by 30mm/year).

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General Climate Change Impacts• Warmer days and nights; retreating snow lines,

• Decreasing water discharge in streams and

recharge in natural water stores; low water table

• Changing pattern of precipitation (form, season, intensity)

• Decreasing total number of rainy days

• Increasing drier days and receiving >100mm rain

• Precipitation, being erratic and ill timed

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Agriculture and Food Security

• Agri. contributes 33% to GDP and employs >65% workforce

• Paddy, maize, wheat, millet and barley share 75% of crop-area; paddy accounts for 50% of total grain production

• Cereal-foods availability (mt.) by eco-region (2010/2011)

Agriculture and Food Security (contd..)

• It was food secured until 1980s,

• From 1990s population outstripped the food

production,

• Out of 75 districts, 38 are food deficit (17 are

food unsecured) in 2010-11,

• 20 year Agriculture Perspective Plan (1995) was

under funded and agriculture lost priority in the

periodic plans.

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Agro Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in the Country1

• In situ management:

– identification/ replication of PGRFA

conservation practices including surveys,

– diversity analysis,

– community biodiversity registration/management

– seed bank; participatory plant breeding

– market promotion; food festivals

– agro-ecotourism.

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Agro biodiversity conservation efforts in

the country2

• Ex situ management:

– Int’l gene bank - CGIAR centers and others-

about 7000 accessions of crop germplasms

– National Agriculture Genetic Resource Centre

Nepal Agriculture Research Council – has

about 11,000 seed accessions of 90 crop

species

– Independent community seed banks -about

6000 accessions of crop variety seeds

• Information system development,NISM

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Impacts: Food Security and Agro-biodiversity1

• High impacts on agri.because of its being rain-fed,

• Agro-ecology impacts on crops and agro

biodiversity are visualized as:

– declined food and forage production,

– poor availability/ efficiency of water use

– degraded pasture/agricultural land,

– crop diversity loss, diseases/pests epidemics

– Increased in climate related risks and disasters

• rising temp would worsen the situations further

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Impacts: Food Security and Agro-biodiversity2

• NAPA also visualizes vulnerability, climate

induced water stresses, shifting agroeco-

zones, prolonged dry spells and higher

incidence of diseases/pests affecting

agricultural productivity.

• NAPA on biodiversity raised little concerns of

PGRFA.

• However, NAPA foresees changes posing a

threat to food security due to loss of some

local landraces and crops varieties.

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Policy Provisions to support Agrobiodiversity

• Nepal Biodiversity Strategy, 2002

• National Agriculture Policy, 2004

• Agro-biodiversity Policy 2007

• Climate Change Policy 2011

• National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPA) to

Climate Change 2010

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NAPA to Climate Change 2010

• GON has already endorsed NAPA doc

• NAPA vision - enabling to respond strategically to the challenges and opportunities due to climate change. the objectives are-– to assess/prioritize CC-vulnerabilities and identify

adaptation measures

– to develop proposals for priority activities

– to prepare, review and finalize the NAPA document

– to develop/maintain a knowledge management and learning platform

– to develop a multi-stakeholder framework of action on climate change

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NAPA to Climate Change 2010

• The project had three components and six TWGs

• A high level Climate Change Council stewarded by the PM and a Multi-stakeholder Climate Change Initiatives Coordination Committee (MCCICC) chaired by the secretary in the MOE instituted to coordinate climate change adaptation interventions with the MOE instrumental as focal ministry

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NAPA- Nine Profiled CC-Adaptation Priorities

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NAPA Identified Interventions in AB

– Sustainable soil/water management (including

org. farming and CBM), sustainable forest and

resource management, natural heritage

conservation and food security programs (profile 1);

– Agro-forestry development and adaptation

supports to forest user groups (profile 5);

– Supporting conservation/management focused

plans such as local adaptation, documentation of

indigenous knowledge (profile 7)

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Concluding Remarks1

• PGRFA are basis of food production, food security and livelihood

• Both in situ and ex situ conservation of PGRFA are important,

• Understanding/ assessing PGRFA diversity;, erosion and vulnerability;

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Concluding Remarks2

• Establishing database system and communication network; in/ex situ

conservation, legislative arrangement and capacity development are priority needs of agrobiodiversity related interventions.

• The NAPA is conducive. However, biodiversity management and utilization part of it is confined to forest management and protection approach.

Concluding Remarks

• Strengthening local, regional, and national information systems with agro biodiversity,

• Maintaining people’s indigenous knowledge on agro diversity,

• Developing appropriate institutional set up in MOAC,

• Policy Review on agro biodiversity to accommodate CC,

• Farmer’s access to financial resources, and helping

develop civil society networks for agro biodiversity.

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Thank You for Your Attention

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The NAPA Components and TWGs

NAPA Thematic Working Groups– Agriculture and food security (MoAC)

– Water resources and energy (MoEnergy)

– Forests and biodiversity (MoFSC)

– Public health (MoHP)

– Climate-induced disaster (MoHA)

– Urban settlements and infrastructure (Dept. of Urban Development and Building Construction)

The three NAPA components:

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National Agriculture Genetic Centre

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