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Farmers' Varieties and Agricultural Sustainability in Kaski, Nepal
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| Overview | Single households in Kaski, Nepal often maintain as many as 20 farmers' varieties (landraces) of a single crop. This study demonstrates methods for documenting the cultural, medicinal value and use values of farmers' varieties. |
| Scale | household, farm, farmer, village, region |
| Location | Begnas Watershed, 16 km East of Pokhara, in Lekhnath Municipality, Kaski Province, Nepal (84.1°E, 28.1°N). |
| Elevation | 668 to 1206 meters |
| Climate | Subtropical, winter drought and summer rain (Cwa); Begnas area has a unique climate in Nepal, ranging from subtropical to warm temperate. Mean annual rainfall is 3979 mm, in a monsoon system, from June to October. Mean annual temperature 20.9°C, with coldest month January (7°C) and hottest month May (30.5°C) |
| Agricultural Region | Intensive Subsistence Tillage, Rice Dominant (E) |
| Population Density | 390 persons / square kilometer |
| Principle Crops | Rice (Oryza sativa), Maize (Zea mays), Finger millet (Eleusine spp.), Taro (Colocasia esculenta), Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica), Mustard (Brassica campestris), Cucumber (Cucumis sativum), Black gram (Vigna mungo), Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), Cowpeas (Vigna sp.), Beans, many vegetable species, Coffee (Coffea robusta), Citrus (Citrus sp.), and many other fruits. |
| Domestic Animals | Buffalo, Cattle, Goat, Sheep, Chicken, Ducks, Pigeon, Pigs |
| Soils | Inceptisols, Aquepts (I2); FAO classification of local soils: Dystrict Luvisol, Dystrict Cambisol in general mixed system and Luthic Regosol in steeply slope, Fluvisols in flat and river basin. |
| Natural Vegetation | Temperate mixed forest (M-(SE)) Broadleaf evergreen and subtropical deciduous forest |
| Ecoregion | Humid Tropical Zone, Rainforest Altitudinal Zone (Tr4) |
| Basic Principles addressed | Conserve Resources, Adjust to Local Environments, Diversify, Empower People |
| Page Author and Date | Puspa Raj Tiwari, Field Officer, LI-BIRD, Jumla, Nepal, 1999. |
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Farmers' varieties (landraces) are farmer-developed varieties of crop plants adapted to local environmental conditions and to farmer uses like specific recipes, cultural practices, and home storage. Using structured surveys of 206 households in January 1999, data on households and farmer varieties were collected in Begnas, Nepal (see Project Overview & Site Characterization). Data collected included religious & cultural characteristics of different farmer varieties, food & feed uses, plant type, disease resistance/susceptibility, drought tolerance, specific growing niches, productivity, cropping system, area, and other relevant information. Across sample households the study identified and characterized 64 rice varieties, 24 finger millet varieties, 24 taro varieties, 14 cucumber varieties and 13 sponge gourd varieties. Most cropland within the working area is covered by landraces (see Site Characterization). Characteristics of each variety were sorted for use in varietal improvement using Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB). |
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The large number of farmers' varieties of different crops observed within such a small area demonstrates the socioeconomic and ecological importance of farmer selection in sustainable farming systems. Farmers in Kaski maintain and increase crop genetic diversity and have vast knowledge on variety identification, selection, crop management, and microenvironments acquired from generations of hands-on experience. Though these types of farmer knowledge are generally not well documented, indigenous knowledge and skills within farming communities are useful to scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, extension workers, and development workers. Therefore it is essential to document and sustain indigenous knowledge for the future. Community Biodiversity Registers and Community Seed Banking may be useful in maintaining genetic diversity and sustainability of farmer varieties in Nepal. |
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Conserve Resources Maintaining farmer varieties in situ on farm conserves genetic resources. Adjust to Local Environments Farmer selection of locally-adapted farmers' varieties adjusts crops to local environments. Diversify Conservation and use of farmer varieties sustains and increases genetic diversity. Empower People Conservation training, community awareness and landrace enhancement through Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) value and sustain farmer knowledge. On-farm seed selection and storage increases farmer control of genetic resources. Community seed banking & exchanges strengthens communities. |
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Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Research & Development (LI-BIRD)
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