Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Climate Change Impact on Agricultural Sector of Nepal: Implications for Adaptation and Resilience Building

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Agricultural Transformation in Nepal

Abstract

The chapter assesses the impact of climate change on agricultural production, food security, livelihoods, and economy. It reviews the ongoing and planned policies, plans, programs and projects to respond to the impacts of climate change. It also identifies policy responses and technology needs to help smallholders adapt to climate change impacts. The mainstreaming of climate resilience at the policies, plans and programs, developing and strengthening institutions for better service delivery, and ensuring and increasing the finance for research and development activities should be prioritized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ADB:

Asian Development Bank

ADS:

Agriculture Development Strategy

AGDP:

Agricultural Gross Domestic Product

CAGR:

Compound Annual Growth Rate

CBOs:

Community-Based Organizations

CBS:

Central Bureau of Statistics

DDCs:

District Development Committees

DOA:

Department of Agriculture

DOI:

Department of Irrigation

DOLIDAR:

Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agricultural Roads

EFDB:

Emission Factor Database

FAO:

Food and Agriculture Organisation

FY:

Fiscal Year

GDP:

Gross Domestic Product

GHG:

Green House Gas

GLOF:

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

ICIMOD:

International center for Integrated Mountain Development

IPCC:

Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change

LAPA:

Local Adaptation Plan of Action

LULCF:

Land Use And Land Use Change And Forestry

MoED:

Ministry of Agricultural Development

MOE:

Ministry of Environment

MoHA:

Ministry of Home Affairs

MoSTE:

Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment

NAPA:

National Adaptation Program of Action

NARC:

Nepal Agriculture Research Council

NBSAP:

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

NGOs:

Non-governmental Organizations

UNDP:

United Nations Development Program

VDCs:

Village Development Committees

References

  • ADB and IFPRI. (2009). Building climate resilience in the agriculture sector of Asia and the Pacific. Manila, Philippines: Asian Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adhikari, J. (2014). Agriculture adaptation practices in South Asia: A case of Nepal. Working Paper No. 01(iii)/14. South Asia Watch on Economics and Environment, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal, P. K., Bandyopadhyay, S. K., Pathak, H., Kalra, N., Chander, S., & Kumar, S. (2000). Analysis of yield trends of the rice-wheat system in North-Western India. Outlook on Agriculture, 29(4), 259–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aggarwal, P. K., Joshi, P. K., Ingram, J. S. I., & Gupta, R. K. (2004). Adapting food systems of the indo-gangetic plains to global environmental change: Key information needs to improve policy formulation. Environmental Science & Policy, 7, 487–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Agrawala, S., Raksakulthai, V., Aalst, M., Larsen, P., Smith, J., & Reynolds, J. (2003). Development and climate change in Nepal: Focus on water resources and hydropower. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris. Retrieved from http://calclimate.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/OECD_Nepal_Hydropower_2003.pdf.

  • CBS. (2013). National sample census of agriculture Nepal 2011/12. Kathmandu: Central Bureau of Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO. (2010). Implications of climate change for agriculture and food security and adaptation priorities in Nepal. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO. (2014). Managing climate risks and adapting to climate change in the agriculture sector in Nepal. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gautam, A. K., & Pokhrel, S. (2010). Climate change effects on agricultural crops in Nepal and adaptation measures. Presented in Thematic Working Group (agriculture and food security) meeting, February 23, 2010, Kathmandu, Nepal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebreegziabher, Z., Stage, J., Mekonnen, A., & Alemu, A. (2011). Climate change and the ethiopian economy: A computable general equilibrium analysis. Environment for Development (EfD), Discussion Paper Series, October 2011, EfD DP 11-09.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glantz, M. H., Gommes, R., & Selvaraju, R. (2009). Coping with a changing climate: Considerations for adaptation and mitigation in agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • GoN. (2011). National Framework on Local Adaptation Plans for Action. Government of Nepal, Ministry of Environment, Singhdurbar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurung, A. K., & Nayava, J. L. (2010). Impact of climate change on production and productivity: A case study of maize research and development in Nepal. Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 11, 59–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ICIMOD. (2011). Climate variability and change in the Himalayas: Community perceptions and responses. Kathmandu: ICIMOD.

    Google Scholar 

  • IFPRI. (2014). Farmers’ preferences for climate-smart agriculture an assessment in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi, IFPRI Discussion Paper 01337.

    Google Scholar 

  • IIED. (2014). Climate change financing in Nepal. Briefing, International Institute for Environment and Development, UK. Retrieved from http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17229IIED.pdf.

  • IPCC. (1997). Revised 1996 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. Paris: United Nations Environment Programme, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC. (2007). Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. In S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K. B. Averyt, M. Tignor, & H. L. Miller (Eds.), Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (996 pp). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC. (2014). Climate change 2014: Synthesis report. In R. K. Pachauri & L. A. Meyer (Eds.), Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Geneva, Switzerland: IPCC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, G. R. (2018). Agricultural economy of Nepal: Development challenges and opportunities. Kathmandu Nepal: Sustainable Research and Development Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, G. R., & Uprety, B. K. (2010). Climate adaptation: A survival strategy for mountain people. Proceeding of Eastern Regional Organisation for Public Administration (EROPA) Seminar 2010, Kathmandu, pp. 30–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi, G. R., & Uprety, B. K. (2011). Climate screening, adaptation actions, financing and policies: Essentials for improving the livelihoods of the poor. Paper Presented for the Nepal Country Workshop on Environment of the Poor in the Context of Climate Change and Green Economy. Organised by the National Planning Commission Secretariat, November 2010, Kathmandu, pp. 26–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • JVS. (2015). Stocktaking: Climate vulnerability on agricultural sector for National Adaptation Plan Process. Final Report, Jalsrot Vikas Sanstha (JVS)/GWP Nepal. March 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karn, P. K. (2014). The impact of climate change on agriculture—A case study from Nepal. Policy Brief, South Asian Network on Development, Economics and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maplecroft (Global Risk Analysis). (2011). Climate change risk Atlas 2011. Accessed June 12. http://maplecroft.com/search/?q=climate+change+vulnerability+ranking.

  • MoAD and WFP. (2012). Crop Situation Joint Assessment Report. Ministry of Agricultural Development and World Food Program.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoE. (2010a). Climate change vulnerability mapping for Nepal. Ministry of environment, Singh Durbar, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoE. (2010b). National adaptation program of action. Ministry of Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoFALD. (2013). Environment-friendly Local Governance Framework, 2013. Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Singhdurbar, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoFSC. (2015). Forest Policy 2015. Government of Nepal, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoHA. (2015). Nepal disaster report 2015. Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and Disaster Preparedness Network-Nepal (DPNet-Nepal).

    Google Scholar 

  • MoLRM. (2015). Land Use Policy 2015. Ministry of Land Reform and Management, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoPE. (2017). Synthesis of Stocktaking Report for National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Formulation Process in Nepal. Ministry of Population and Environment, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoSTE. (2014a). Nepal: Second National Communication, Submitted to UNFCCC. Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Singh Durbar, Kathmandu.

    Google Scholar 

  • MoSTE. (2014b). Economic Assessment of the Climate Change of the Key Sectors in Nepal, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, IDS Nepal, PAC and GCAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • NPC. (2011). Climate-resilient planning. Kathmandu, Nepal: Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • NPC. (2012). Climate change budget code, documenting the national process of arriving at multi-sectoral consensus, criteria and method. Kathmandu: Government of Nepal, National Planning Commission

    Google Scholar 

  • NPC. (2014). The Thirteenth plan. Kathmandu: National Planning Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • NPC. (2016). The Fourteenth Plan. Kathmandu: National Planning Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pant, K. P. (2009). Effects of agriculture on climate change: A cross country study of factors affecting carbon emissions. Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 10, 72–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pant, K. P. (2012). Climate change and food security in Nepal. The Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 13, 9–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pathak, P., Thakur, U. C., & Shrestha, D. (2011). Climate change and livestock sector: Vulnerability and adaptation in Nepal. In T. B. Gurung, P. K. Pokharel, & I. Wright (Eds.), Climate change: Livestock and vulnerability in Nepal. Proceedings of Consultative Technical Workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pokhrel, D. M., & Pandey, B. (2011). Climate change adaptation: Strategic vision in agriculture. The Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 12, 104–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Practical Action. (2009). Temporal and spatial variability of climate change over Nepal (1976–2005). Practical Action, Katmandu Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramay, S., Munawar, Z., & Ahmad, M. (2011). Climate change and food security in the HKH region. Paper presented at the Authors’ Workshop for the Regional Report on Climate Change in the Hindu Kush–Himalayas: The State of Current Knowledge. Kathmandu, Nepal: ICIMOD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha, A. B., Wake, C. P., Mayewski, P. A., & Dibb, I. E. (1999). Maximum temperature trends in the Himalaya and its vicinity: An analysis based on temperature records from Nepal for the period 1971–94. Journal of Climate, 12, 2775–2786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha, A. B., Wake, C. P., Dibb, J. E., Mayewski, P. A. (2000). Precipitation fluctuations in the Nepal Himalaya and its vicinity and relationship with some large scale climatological parameters. International Journal of Climatology, 20(3), 317–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sukanta, M., & Reddy, I. P. (2018). Impact of climate change on livestock production (book chapter). Biotechnology for sustainable agriculture: Emerging approaches and strategies. Elsevier. pp. 235–256. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/C2016-0-03289-8.

  • Thapa, S., Joshi, G. R., & Joshi, B. (2015). Impact of climate change on agricultural production in Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2 and 3, 64–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP. (2009). Nepal country report, Global Assessment of Risk. ISDR Global Assessment Report on Poverty and Disaster Risk. Kathmandu, UNDP Nepal.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP. (2013). Country Report Climate Risk Management for Agriculture in Nepal. Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia, United Nations Development Program, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • WFP. (2009). Winter Drought Worsens Food Insecurity in Nepal. Kathmandu, Nepal: World Food Program. Retrieved from www.wfp.org/news/news-release/winter-drought-worsens-food-insecurity-nepal.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Kathmandu, Nepal

    Ganesh R. Joshi

  2. Third National Communication, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Binaya Joshi

Authors
  1. Ganesh R. Joshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Binaya Joshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ganesh R. Joshi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Visiting Scientist, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Patan, Nepal

    Ganesh Thapa

  2. Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), New Delhi, India

    Anjani Kumar

  3. Former Director, South Asia Office, International Food Policy Research Institute, New Delhi, India

    P.K. Joshi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Joshi, G.R., Joshi, B. (2019). Climate Change Impact on Agricultural Sector of Nepal: Implications for Adaptation and Resilience Building. In: Thapa, G., Kumar, A., Joshi, P. (eds) Agricultural Transformation in Nepal. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9648-0_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9648-0_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-32-9647-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-32-9648-0

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation