Agricultural Land Use Intensity and Determinants in Different Agroecological Regions in Central Nepal Himalaya

Khatiwada, Shanta Paudel; Zhang, Jifei; Su, Yi; Paudel, Bikash; Deng, Wei

doi:10.1007/978-981-10-2890-8_13

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Smallholder subsistence farming with a mixed crop-livestock production system is a common source of livelihood, but the level of agricultural dependency and its importance to overall household income varies across the area. Besides agriculture, salaried jobs, tourism related business, outmigration for non-farm jobs, and wage labour are the major sources of household income within the area [40,41]. However, distinct bio-physical, socio-economic, and infrastructure situations along an elevation gradient create varying levels of opportunities and constraints for different livelihood activities.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Household Livelihood Strategies and Implication for Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Central Nepal

Khatiwada

Deng

Paudel³

et al. 2017

Sustainability

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137

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Abstract:Understanding household livelihood strategies is pivotal to minimize rural poverty in the least developed countries like Nepal. This study is an attempt to assess livelihood strategies pursued by rural households, investigate the most remunerative strategy, and identify the factors that influence a household's choice of better strategies in rural Nepal. Primary data collected in 453 households from three villages of central Nepal are analyzed quantitatively within a sustainable livelihood framework. This study categorized households into five main livelihood strategy groups. The results showed that the majority (61%) of the households diversified their income to non-farm sources. Livelihood diversification to business/enterprise strategies adopted by 16% of the households is the most remunerative strategy followed by commercial farming that includes 13% of the sample and are more relevant to poverty reduction. Land holding, education, agriculture and skill training, access to credit, and proximity to the road and market center are the major influencing factors on the adoption of higher returning livelihood strategies. Stimulating poor households to follow market-oriented farm and non-farm activities by improving access to education, vocational training, rural credit, and rural infrastructures is momentous for reducing poverty in the rural areas of central Nepal.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Household Livelihood Strategies and Implication for Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Central Nepal

Khatiwada

Deng

Paudel³

et al. 2017

Sustainability

Self Cite

137

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“…Overall, the agricultural land is very vulnerable to the rapid changes in all the land-cover classes across the Mountain, Hill, and Tarai regions. However, farmers can still be encouraged by adopting specific agricultural-land-management policies, together with the provision of subsidies, insurance, infrastructural development, and new technologies [112].…”

Section: Changing Trends In Lulc In Ecological Regionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Appraisal of Empirical Studies on Land-Use and Land-Cover Changes and Their Impact on Ecosystem Services in Nepal Himalaya

et al. 2023

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The study of land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) and their impact on ecosystem services (ESs) is vital for Nepal, where the majority of people are dependent on agriculture and services related to the ecosystem. In this context, this paper aims to appraise the empirical studies on land-use and land-cover changes and their impact on ecosystem services in Nepal Himalaya. The study acquired studies from Web of Science and Google Scholar for systematic review. Altogether, 90 scientific studies, including 64 on land use and land cover and 26 on ecosystem services, published between 1986 and 2020 focusing Nepal, were assessed. The results show that there were continual changes in land-cover and land-use types in Nepal, as well as in the pace of development due to natural, anthropogenic, and policy factors. According to the national land-cover scenario, forests tended to increase, whereas agricultural land gradually decreased in recent years, with some of the available agricultural land even being abandoned. The scenario of the agricultural land in the Karnali river basin was different from those of the land in the Koshi and Gandaki basins. In the mid-twentieth century, the expansion of agricultural land and massive deforestation were observed, mainly in the Tarai region. Development works, urbanization, and the rural–urban migration led to the gradual decrease in and abandonment of the available agricultural land in recent decades. Further, this overall scenario has determined in provision of ESs. Forests have the highest value of ES, and community forests have played a vital role in their restoration. The concept of payment for ESs has greatly supported socio-economic development and ecosystem conservation. However, the formulation and implementation of effective landscape planning with suitable policies and enforcement mechanisms is essential to balance the negative impact of LULC on the sustained management of ecosystems and their associated services.

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“…The three villages represent three agro-ecological regions of Nepal (inner-terai, mid-hill, and high-hill) [48,66]. Smallholder subsistence farming characterized by mixed crop-livestock production systems, salaried jobs, out-migration to cities and abroad, and wage labour are the major and common income activities in the area [48,67].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The three villages represent three agro-ecological regions of Nepal (inner-terai, mid-hill, and highhill) [48,66]. Smallholder subsistence farming characterized by mixed crop-livestock production systems, salaried jobs, out-migration to cities and abroad, and wage labour are the major and common income activities in the area [48,67]. Along with socio-economic and cultural transformation, progress on infrastructure such as rural road and electricity, communication and information technologies, education and health facilities in recent decades, particularly after the peace agreement ending 10 years of armed conflict in 2006 [42], in the selected villages means they are also experiencing a huge contextual change providing newer opportunities and constraints to households and individual livelihoods.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

A Gender Analysis of Changing Livelihood Activities in the Rural Areas of Central Nepal

Khatiwada

Deng

Paudel³

et al. 2018

Sustainability

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Gender mainstreaming is a key for achieving inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction and equitable development. A gender disaggregated analysis of changing livelihood activities is, therefore, crucial for devising gender-sensitive policies and programs. This paper presents a gender disaggregated analysis to assess trend and influencing factors of switching livelihood to higher returning activities at the intra-household level in three villages in rural areas of central Nepal. The result showed that both men and women have changed their livelihood activities from subsistence to cash-earning activities in the last decade. However, the livelihood activities of men have changed considerably compared to women. Men are primarily attracted to out-migration and non-farm wage-based jobs whereas women to market-oriented commercial farming and rural enterprises. Individual as well as location-specific characteristics influence behavior switching to higher returning activities irrespective of gender, while the ethnicity of a household influences only women. Building human and financial capital through education and training along with strengthening access to credit and increasing connectivity through rural road and market centers would be pivotal for encouraging rural men and women to change traditional subsistence activities to higher returning undertakings, leading to equitable livelihood improvement in rural Nepal.

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Agricultural Land Use Intensity and Determinants in Different Agroecological Regions in Central Nepal Himalaya

Cited by 3 publications

References 46 publications

Household Livelihood Strategies and Implication for Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Central Nepal

Household Livelihood Strategies and Implication for Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas of Central Nepal

Appraisal of Empirical Studies on Land-Use and Land-Cover Changes and Their Impact on Ecosystem Services in Nepal Himalaya

A Gender Analysis of Changing Livelihood Activities in the Rural Areas of Central Nepal

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