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After torrential rains, the country experienced record floods in August 2017. This resulted in the deaths of 157 people and the flooding of 31 districts.
The floodwaters Rs8.11 trillion worth of crops destroyedThe floodwaters washed away all livestock and private food shops. The government announced a Rs1.25 Billion relief program for farmers in 30 districts that lost their crops to floods. This was the largest compensation ever offered to farmers at that time.
The next year will be even better Hailstorms and strong windsFrom April to May, farmers in Siraha’s eastern Tarai district suffered Rs6.4 billion in crop loss.
Last year, however, was marked by an unusual event. The country was hit by floods on October 17, 2021 after torrential rains caused by unseasonal storms. More than 100 people were killed and many settlements were submerged.
In October, Nepal experiences heavy rainfall that is not common during the monsoon season. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development losses of Rs11.87 billion were caused by the unusual rainfall. The government announced a Record high payouts of Rs5.52 billion to compensate the farmers’ losses.
Experts were concerned about the impact of climate change on the economy and livelihoods in Nepal when the extreme precipitation occurred just a month after the monsoon ends.
The first time data will be collected by the Central Bureau of Statistics, the country’s statistical agency, on the impacts of climate change in agriculture, will be April.
“This is for the first time that we are incorporating the impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector in the questionnaire,” said Badri Kumar Karki, director at the Agriculture and Livestock Census and Survey Section of the CBS. “There are not many questions but we are asking whether people know about climate change and how it has affected agriculture.”
The CBS conducts the country’s agriculture census every ten year after the completion of the population survey. The national census was completed in November last year, and a preliminary report released on January 26 has put the country’s population at 29.19 million.
Officials say that the CBS will begin field work for the agricultural census starting April 19, and will continue until June 2, officials.
According to the CBS, details about women’s ownership of agricultural lands, the status of pesticide use by farmers and status of agroforestry are other areas to be covered in the upcoming agriculture census.
Karki stated that the enumerators will ask questions such as if cultivation time has changed, how large food items have changed, and if harvesting time has been prolonged or shortened.
A recent climate report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC),Released on February 28, urged the world to adapt now, or suffer later, sounding an alarm bell to act before it’s too late.
Noting that nearly half the world’s population was already vulnerable to increasingly dangerous climate impacts, the report calls for drastic action on a huge scale: A third to a half of the planet needs to be conserved and protected to ensure future food and freshwater supplies.
The report warns that Nepal is at high risk of flooding, which could severely impact paddy production.
“Projections indicate an increase in damage to area under paddy by upto 50 percent in Nepal,” the Sixth Assessment ReportClimate Change 2022: Climate Change, Adaptation and Vulnerability to the IPCC States.
Experts agree that climate change risks for agriculture have increased due to the unpredictable weather pattern, crop failures at the usual places, and new pests, diseases, most of which are attributed to climate changes.
“Streams are drying up and winter crops, particularly in hilly areas, are falling victim to this trend,” said Madhukar Upadhya, an expert on watersheds. “In the Tarai, underground sources of water are drying up. So growing crops particularly in areas where there is no supply of surface water has become increasingly difficult.”
Floods are the most pressing issue in the lowlands. However, the effects of climate change on the highlands are also becoming more visible and real. Manang’s Himalayan district has apple farmers Are moving northwardsTo grow a new variety of fruit, you will need to move to higher elevations.
Upadhya said that farmers are not certain if their crops will be successful these days. “Untimely rainfalls caused massive damage to paddy this winter and cash crops such as orange, sweet orange and lemon plants were damaged badly by citrus greening disease from Gorkha to Sindhuli in recent years,” said Upadhya.
The IPCC report, referring to previous studies, states that agriculture-oriented policies are not sustainable.
A rise in landslide frequency (92.6%) or intensity (97.3%) over a twenty-year period (1996-1616) has been reported to have negative effects on livelihoods.
Manjit Dhakal, a climate change expert, said a number of international and Nepal government’s reports have pointed out the massive impact of climate change on farmers and the agriculture sector.
“A recent government report says there were 16 major droughts and floods between 1972 and 2016, with around 39 percent of crops damaged by droughts and 23 percent by floods,” he said. “The new UN climate report has reinforced the impact of climate change on farming.”
CBS produced a survey report in 2016 about the effects of climate change.
According to the report titled ‘National Climate Change Impact Survey 2016,’ almost all households (99.33 percent) reported that they have observed an increase in drought as a climate-induced disaster in the past 25 years. The survey also revealed that 97.69% of households reported an increase in insecticides and sporadic precipitation. The survey revealed that a large portion of households witnessed new diseases emerging on crops, while a large number of households saw the appearance of new insect species. A majority of households reported an increase of invasive species of shrubs.
“The 2016 survey was conducted among limited households. The agriculture census will cover more households which will help us provide a better picture of the impact of climate change,” said Karki.
According to CBS officials, the company aims at reaching 2.8 million households during its listing process. About 350,000 households are selected to receive detailed information.
The bureau is not only interested in collecting information about climate change but also seeks details about tunnel agriculture. Plastic tunnels cover the plants in a small greenhouse-like structure. These tunnels can be made with bamboo and covered with clear plastic.
“There has been an increasing trend of commercial tunnel farming, particularly that of tomatoes and lemons,” said Karki.
The new agriculture census will allow the bureau to compile statistics about the country’s insurance coverage for crops and livestock.
The 2013 directive relating to governmental premium subsidies for crop- and livestock insurance in Nepal prompted the development of Nepal’s agriculture insurance.
The insurance policies Cover The risks associated with fire, lightning and flooding, as well as drought, storms or severe weather conditions like hailstorms, frost, snow and sudden or accidental external factors. There is also coverage for crops for pest damage and fish insurance for poisoning.
According to the Insurance Board insurance companies issued insurance policies in the amount of $2.5 billion. Rs 42.49 billion In the fiscal year 2020-21, subsidies were provided by the government in the amount of Rs1.42 trillion.
The bureau will also collect information about farmers receiving subsidies, and what they were getting, as the government has implemented various subsidy schemes in agriculture.
The government allocated Rs 15 billionFor providing subsidies to farmers for chemical fertilisers in the current fiscal years 2021-22.
Karki says that the census will also provide statistics about the practice and return of agricultural workers to outsource work. It will also show how many farmlands are owned or leased by women.
The bureau plans to mobilize over 7,000 staff and enumerators to assist with the task of agricultural census.
Karki stated that questions about climate change impact on agriculture were included in the census to determine the status of climate change impacts from large populations amid reports that global warming could impact food security.
“In the past survey of 2016, there was a limited sample size. This year, there is a 24-page questionnaire for the agriculture census,” said Karki. “We hope to have a very comprehensive report.”
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