kalpana Bhattarai
Kathmandu: Yogendra Mahato from Lalbandi Municipality-11 in Sarlahi had been producing 20 quintals of okra in his one-bigha field for three years until recently. However, this year, he barely managed a quarter of that yield. Even Simi, which used to perform well in the past, failed to produce. He blames it on excessive rain from sowing to flowering, causing a reduction in production. The change in weather patterns is wreaking havoc on his crops.
The situation is similar for many farmers in Lalbandi, Ishwarpur, Hariwan, and surrounding villages, known as the Vegetable Packet Area. This region supplies okra, Simi, cauliflower, bitter gourd, parval, and tomatoes to various cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Butwal, Nepalgunj, and others.
According to Lalbandi’s Agricultural Wholesale Market Management Committee, annually, local residents here export over two billion rupees’ worth of vegetables to other districts, sustaining their livelihood. However, recent changes in weather patterns have discouraged farmers.
For instance, Ramudgar Mahato, a 58-year-old farmer who has been farming vegetables for 25 years, lost a significant portion of his tomato crop this year. Excessive rain damaged the entire tomato harvest. He says, “Only a few tomatoes survived.” The fluctuating weather patterns and increasing prevalence of pests and diseases have significantly impacted production, according to him.
In the past, one bigaha of land would yield up to two quintals of tomatoes. However, he says, “The yield has dropped significantly this year.” Farmers are struggling with the unpredictable conditions.
Even Cauliflower has been severely affected. Due to excessive water, the bitter gourd crop was ruined. Tomato plants withered in the fields. Ramudgar states, “This year, the cost of farming is not recoverable. All the farmers in the village are in the same situation.”
The unpredictability of weather has also taken a toll on the Simi harvest, with an increase in the population of pests when conditions are favorable. The insect attacks have left many farmers disillusioned. The excessive use of pesticides has its drawbacks, as it increases costs, affects the environment, and still doesn’t guarantee a good harvest.
The local residents of Lalbandi export approximately 50% of their tomato production to various districts. Over the last three years, vegetable production has decreased by about 30%, according to Vasu Ghimire, the manager of the Agricultural Wholesale Market Management Committee in Lalbandi. Recent fluctuations in weather, increased pest infestations, and the prevalence of plant diseases have all contributed to the reduced yield. Farmers are discouraged by the situation.
The committee’s data reveals that in the last two years, there has been a significant decrease in vegetable production. In the fiscal year 2076/77, the total production was 11 crore 95 lakh 67 thousand 135 metric tons. In 2077/78, this number plummeted to 3 crore 90 lakh 76 thousand 961 metric tons. According to a 2016 survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics on the impact of climate change, farmers reported a 60.25% increase in new diseases and a 66.9% increase in pest infestations, which have affected tomato crops.
Excessive Rain and Drought
According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, this year, the monsoon ended around September 25th, which is approximately 15 days later than usual, bringing about 15% more rainfall than normal. In some areas, the rainfall was even more substantial than in previous years. Typically, the monsoon system withdraws within Nepal from June 10th to the end of September. However, in recent years, the monsoon has been extending further into October, sometimes lasting into the second week.
Excessive precipitation this year caused hardships, but the real problem in many regions is the lack of proper storage of this water. Despite heavy rains, there is a shortage of water in areas like Hiuwa for about six months of the year. The monsoon arrived in Magh (January/February) and barely brought any rainfall in the area until the fourth week of the month. In a typical monsoon, Hiuwa receives approximately 60.9 mm of rainfall. However, last year, it only received 15.4 mm of rainfall.
According to meteorologists, the changing pattern of the monsoon winds originating from the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal has made it difficult to predict the monsoon system’s behavior. This erratic monsoon pattern is challenging for farmers. Sometimes, there’s too much water, and at other times, there’s drought-like conditions. These unpredictable weather changes are having a severe impact on agriculture.
Experts predict that this trend is likely to continue, and the 2020 United Nations World Water Development Report warned that climate change is altering the timing and distribution of rainfall and can potentially disrupt global food production, which is a looming crisis.
Struggles of Farmers in Makawanpur
This year’s monsoon season brought excessive rain to various regions, including Sarlahi, Lalbandi, Ishworpur, and Hariwan municipalities, among others. While this abundant rainfall benefited rice cultivation, it brought challenges for paddy farmers in these areas. The year’s rice production was expected to increase due to the sufficient water supply. However, the situation suddenly changed. Continuous heavy rainfall from the month of Ashoj (September-October) led to massive losses for rice farmers.
The persistent rainfall caused landslides from mid-Asar (June-July) onwards, severely impacting rice cultivation across the country. Some rice fields were submerged, while strong winds damaged others. In some places, the fields were entirely washed away.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture in Province 2, there are eight pockets designated for rice production, and in Province 2, 11% of rice fields have been affected. Out of 4,03,164 hectares allocated for rice cultivation, 48,684 hectares were significantly affected by this year’s rainfall.
Besides rice, other agricultural cycles are also likely to be affected, according to agricultural experts. From Kartik to Mansir, lentils, potatoes, onions, peas, chickpeas, and vegetables such as cauliflower need to be sown. Wheat planting starts from Kartik. Excessive moisture makes it difficult to plant these crops, leading to lower production.
Lalan Kumar Singh, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management and Cooperatives, states that the harvest has decreased in recent years due to changing weather patterns. Farmers are facing challenges in the agricultural sector, but there are no programs to address the issue, despite the fact that farmers are facing severe problems.
Rice plays a significant role in Nepal’s food production, contributing about one-fourth of the total household production. Consequently, even if the farmer is affected by the loss, it will have an impact on the national economy.
The rainy season has always been favorable for rice harvesting, and till now, farmers have not seen waterlogging in their fields. The monsoon season usually brings around 73.8 mm of rainfall to Nepal between Kartik and Mansir. This year, an unexpected 261 mm of rainfall was recorded within two months, causing widespread destruction and leading to the loss of at least 118 lives due to floods and landslides. Farmers, along with indigenous and marginalized communities, were severely affected by this natural disaster.
Farmers like Satyanarayan Chaudhary from Bardiya, who has been cultivating rice for the past 20 years, faced an unprecedented situation with excessive waterlogging in their fields this year. He mentions that even a one-bigha (around 0.67 acres) rice field, which usually yields sufficient rice for their family for the whole year, was submerged this year. He says, “My rice field remained submerged because of the continuous rain, and I didn’t get the opportunity to harvest the crop.”
The excessive rainfall, which is a rare occurrence for his region, led to the rice fields being completely inundated, causing significant damage to the crop. Similarly, farmers in Banborahi, like Saheda Khatoon, are struggling with the challenges brought by waterlogged fields. She invested about 40,000 rupees in her one-bigha rice field, but the entire crop went to waste as her field remained waterlogged for a prolonged period.
This sudden waterlogging and the adverse effects it had on the rice crops have brought difficulties to farmers in various parts of Nepal, including Bardiya and Sarlahi.
Farmers Facing Challenges Due to Excessive Rainfall
In various parts of Nepal, including Kathmandu, farmers in places like Sarlahi, Lalbandi, Ishworpur, and Hariwan municipalities have had to deal with abundant monsoon rains this year. However, while these rains have been beneficial for rice farmers, the situation has not been as favorable for paddy growers. Due to sufficient rainfall, there were expectations of increased rice production this year. Nevertheless, the situation abruptly changed when continuous rainfall outside of the monsoon season caused substantial damage to rice crops.
Starting from the month of Ashoj (September-October), continuous and heavy rainfall resulted in landslides across the country, causing significant losses to rice farmers. The paddy fields were submerged in water, and strong winds damaged the crops. In some places, the fields were entirely washed away.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture in Province 2, there are eight designated pockets for rice production in the region, and 11% of rice fields have been affected due to the changing landscape. Out of a total of 403,164 hectares allocated for rice cultivation, 48,684 hectares were severely impacted. In addition to rice, there has also been damage to other agricultural products, including vegetables and fruits, affecting the overall agricultural output.
This year, Province 2 saw rice cultivation on 58,500 hectares of land. With timely rain and proper management of pests, an expected rice production of 2.5 metric tons per hectare was anticipated.
Agricultural experts have predicted that the disturbances to the rice cycle are likely to affect the cultivation of other crops. Crops such as lentils, potatoes, onions, peas, chickpeas, and cauliflower need to be sown from Kartik to Mansir. Wheat planting starts from Kartik. However, excessive moisture makes it difficult to sow these crops and leads to reduced production.
Lalan Kumar Singh, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management and Cooperatives, has noted that agricultural production has decreased in various regions of Province 2 due to changing weather patterns. However, despite the problems faced by farmers, there are no programs in place to address these issues.
Rice plays a crucial role in Nepal’s food production, contributing to nearly one-fourth of the total household production. As a result, even if the individual farmer bears the brunt of the loss, it ultimately affects the nation’s economy.
This year, even in the rice-cutting season, there was not much rainfall, and the fields didn’t get inundated with water. The monsoon season typically brings around 73.8 mm of rainfall to Nepal between Kartik and Mansir. However, this year, there was a sudden change with approximately 261 mm of rainfall within two months, which was significantly more than the usual amount. This excessive rainfall led to widespread destruction and the loss of many lives due to floods and landslides, affecting not only rice farmers but also indigenous and marginalized communities.
Farmers like Satyanarayan Chaudhary in Bardiya, who has been cultivating rice for the past 20 years, were not accustomed to such excessive waterlogging in their fields. He mentioned that even a one-bigha (approximately 0.67 acres) rice field, which usually yields sufficient rice for the whole year, remained submerged this year.
Another farmer, Saheda Khatoon in Banborahi, invested about 40,000 rupees in her one-bigha rice field, but due to waterlogging, the entire crop was lost. Farmers like her are struggling with the challenges brought by this year’s unexpected weather conditions.
This sudden onset of waterlogging and its adverse effects on the rice crops have brought difficulties to farmers in various parts of Nepal, including Bardiya and Sarlahi.
The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
According to the national agricultural census of 2068 (Nepali calendar year), Nepal has 3.831 million farming families, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all households in the country. Based on the census, around 40% of these farming families, or 1.532 million families, depend solely on their agricultural production for their food. The National Planning Commission reports that approximately 17% of the population in Nepal lives below the poverty line, and among this segment, a significant portion relies on agriculture for their livelihoods.
In recent years, the use of modern weather forecasting systems has improved the accuracy of weather predictions. However, this information doesn’t always reach the majority of farmers in Nepal. International agencies have predicted that by the mid-21st century, agriculture production in East and Southeast Asia could increase by 20% due to climate change, but this same change could lead to a 30% decline in production in parts of South and South-East Asia. Worldwide, agriculture production may drop by 10% to 25%. This could have adverse effects on Nepal as well.
Dr. Krishna Pahadi, a renowned agricultural scientist, has warned about the impact of climate change on food production. He points out that when production decreases, food prices in the market rise, making it difficult for vulnerable and poor families to afford food. These families are particularly at risk of food insecurity.
A report from 2019 about climate change adaptation and valuation of agriculture by the Ministry of Forests and Environment suggests that changes in rainfall patterns and extreme weather events, such as floods, landslides, and droughts, have been causing a decline in agricultural production in Nepal. Generally, a 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature is associated with a 10% decrease in agriculture production globally. A study conducted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has estimated a 4.2% decline in rice production in Nepal by 2100 due to carbon emissions.
The Ministry of Forests and Environment also reported a 0.8% reduction in overall gross domestic production in agriculture in Nepal as a result of climate change. Small-scale farmers are the most affected. Variability in the monsoon, limited water for irrigation, and increased pests and diseases are challenges faced by farmers.
Farmers in Nepal rely on their traditional knowledge and experience to make farming decisions, taking into account observations of weather and climate patterns. They are often not equipped with information that modern weather forecasting systems provide.
Sarlahi’s Lalbabu Ray Yadav is one such farmer who emphasizes the need for access to accurate weather information. He says that in the past, there were fewer issues with farming, but now the unpredictability of the weather and the need to make accurate predictions have become critical.
Dr. Namindra Dahal, a climate scientist, points out that traditional knowledge-based practices may no longer be sufficient in the current changing climate. He stresses the importance of developing scientific tools to provide information about ongoing changes in climate. He also recommends that when farmers cannot make informed planting decisions, the government should step in to provide support.
Currently, even when damage occurs, such as in paddy fields, when there is unexpected rainfall, the same damage is repeated because there is no well-planned strategy to adapt. This highlights the need for a more informed and adaptive approach to agriculture in the face of climate change.
https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2021/11/1039289)%20OnlineKhabar_Published%20_2021
