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Influence of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice varietal diversity management on-farm in Nepal

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Abstract

A questionnaire survey of 408 households explored the role of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice (Oryza sativa L.) varietal diversity management on-farm in two contrasting eco-sites in Nepal. Multiple regression outputs suggest that number of parcels of land, livestock number, number of rice ecosystems, agro-ecology (altitude), and use of chemical fertilizer have a significant positive influence on landrace diversity on-farm, while membership in farmers’ groups linked to extension services has significant but negative influence on landrace diversity. Factors with significant positive influence on diversity of modern varieties on-farm were number of parcels of land and of rice ecosystems, access to irrigation, membership in farmers’ groups, and use of insecticide. Within communities, resource-endowed households maintain significantly higher varietal diversity on-farm than resource-poor households and play a significant role in conserving landraces that are vulnerable to genetic erosion and those with socio-cultural and market-preferred traits. Resource-poor households also contribute to local diversity conservation but at lower richness and area coverage levels than resource-endowed households. Households where a female had assumed the role of head of household due to death or migrant work of her husband had less diversity due to lower labor availability. Landraces with socio-cultural and market-preferred traits are few in number but have potential to be conserved on-farm.

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Abbreviations

ANOV:

Analysis of variance

CBD:

Convention on biological diversity

ha:

Hectare

HH:

Household

MV:

Modern variety

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research, and Development (LI-BIRD), Pokhara, Nepal

    Ram Bahadur Rana

  2. International and Rural Development Department, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom

    Ram Bahadur Rana & Chris Garforth

  3. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Pokhara, Nepal

    Bhuwon Sthapit

  4. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Rome, Italy

    Devra Jarvis

Authors
  1. Ram Bahadur Rana
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  2. Chris Garforth
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  3. Bhuwon Sthapit
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  4. Devra Jarvis
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Correspondence to Ram Bahadur Rana.

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Rana, R.B., Garforth, C., Sthapit, B. et al. Influence of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice varietal diversity management on-farm in Nepal. Agric Hum Values 24, 461–472 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-007-9082-0

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