Flexibility of Scope, Type and Temporality in Mustang, Nepal. Opportunities for Adaptation in a Farming System Facing Climatic and Market Uncertainty

Abstract

Climate change is projected to increase the seasonality in river flows in the great river systems of Himalaya and impose challenges to regional food production. Since climate change increases the uncertainty in local weather patterns, people's ability to maintain local agricultural production will probably depend on how flexible the local farming systems are to adjust to unpredictable changes. The objective of this paper is to investigate the flexibility of one such farming system which is located in Mustang, Nepal, Himalaya. Defining flexibility as -uncommitted potentialities for change‖ following Gregory Bateson, the paper identifies opportunities for change in the farming system, as well as factors that constrain flexibility. Further developing the concept of flexibility, it is suggested that flexibility may be analyzed in terms of scope, type and temporal flexibility. Although there are several underexploited resources in the studied farming system, the present situation is not regarded as one of irrational and suboptimal exploitation of resources. Instead, unexploited resources imply opportunities for change, which provide the system with flexibility to rapidly adjust agricultural production to varying and uncertain conditions of production.

Evolving high altitude livelihoods and climate change: a study from Rasuwa District, Nepal

“…The water storage function of glaciers and heavy snowfall is diminishing, leading to more seasonal flash flooding and an increase in erosion and landslides. These changes in climatic factors are consistent with those found in other mountain areas of Nepal by various studies (Manandhar et al 2011;Chhetri et al 2012;Holmelin and Aase 2013;Aryal et al 2016;Pradhan et al 2015).…”

“…Many studies of local perceptions of climate change and its impacts, the vulnerability of people to these changes, and their adaptations have recently been published (e.g. Macchi et al 2011;Manandhar et al 2011;Chhetri et al 2012;Gentle and Maraseni 2012;Shrestha et al 2012;Baul et al 2013;Kusters and Wangdi 2013;Holmelin and Aase 2013;Aryal et al 2016;Pradhan et al 2015;Wang et al 2016). These studies found that households perceived changes in climate and reported the increased incidence of climate related hazards such as floods, droughts, landslides, livestock diseases, crop pests, erratic rainfall and temperature extremes.…”

Ecosystem services and livelihoods in a changing climate: Understanding local adaptations in the Upper Koshi, Nepal

“…Adaptation to climate change in the context of development has been much discussed in recent years, with the discourse focussing primarily on whether adaptation is part and parcel of the development process in developing countries (IPCC 2001;Adger et al 2003;Holmelin & Aase 2013). It has been argued that it is impossible to separate adaptation from development (Cannon & Muüller-Mahn 2010).…”

Medicinal Plant Growing under Sub-optimal Conditions in trans-Himalaya Region at High Altitude

“…The National Gene Bank is primarily responsible for the conservation of unique accession on long-term basis, as base collections for posterity, predominantly in the form of seed 15 . 16 . But such NTFPs have to tackle other situations also.…”

“…The rising temperature and changing patterns of precipitation, combined with high and volatile food prices in international markets, these small scale farmers get bound to adapt new practices. Defining this 'flexibility' as 'uncommitted potential for change', Homelin & Aase 16 , have argues that farming system flexibility may be analysed in terms of the three aspects: flexibility of scope, flexibility of type and temporal flexibility.…”