KATHMANDU, Feb 13 (IPS) – Najboon Khatun appears to be like up on the sky day-after-day, looking for the potential of rain. Clouds come and go with no drop of water. “Winter crops like wheat and greens want water, however like final yr, there was no rainfall but,” says 65-year-old Khatun, expressing her anguish.
In her village in Dhanusha, one of many agricultural hubs within the southern plains of Nepal, farmers largely rely on rain as a supply of irrigation. Nevertheless, they’re going through yet one more yr of drought, affecting winter crops, together with wheat, mustard, lentils, and greens.
They’re at present going through one other yr of a protracted winter drought, significantly within the Terai area, the place a prolonged drought throughout the monsoon season severely affected the manufacturing of the primary meals crop, rice. Khatun was ready for rain within the third week of July to plant a paddy. “We’re affected by drought,” she mentioned at the moment whereas pointing to her dry agricultural subject. Farmers like her are going through the implications of extended drought in each the monsoon and winter.
The winter drought is harsh not solely in Terai but in addition for farmers within the mid-hills and mountainous areas. Kul Bahadur Pulami Magar (68) from Jwalamukhi-1, Dhading, will not be capable of develop wheat due to the drought.
“It is the second yr in a row that we aren’t capable of develop wheat and different winter crops.”
Farmers within the mid-hills like Dhading primarily rely on rainfall for irrigation, however in recent times, they’ve been experiencing a change within the rainfall sample within the monsoon and drought within the winter.
In accordance with the Division of Meteorology and Hydrology (DHM), in 11 of the final 17 winters (December to February), there was lower than the minimal rainfall, and 7 winters skilled drought affecting agricultural actions. Regardless that seasonal forecasts mentioned in any other case, this yr’s winter rainfall didn’t occur when farmers wanted it probably the most. In accordance with the DHM knowledge from December onwards, there may be almost no rainfall; solely 7.5 millimeters of rainfall had been acquired (till February 11), whereas the common for the winter season is 60.1 millimeters.
“A protracted winter drought will certainly have an effect on crops, finally altering meals safety,” mentioned Bibhuti Pokhrel, head of the Local weather Change Division on the DHM. “The previous couple of winters have gotten drier, and we will see local weather change elements too.”
Agricultural Drought
Frustration is rising amongst farmers like Khatun and Pulami Magar as a result of modifications in rainfall patterns and their affect on crop yield, a priority shared by specialists. Dr. Hemu Kafle says, “Farmers are trapped in conditions the place they don’t get sufficient rain after they want it.”
Lately, there was a pattern of extended winters with out precipitation, impacting manufacturing.
Kafle, whose analysis focuses on drought and desertification, notes that farmers are experiencing “Agricultural Drought” extra ceaselessly, particularly in winter. She explains, “There’s traditionally low snowfall within the excessive mountains, and rainfall will not be close to occurring within the mid-hills and Terai, instantly affecting the socio-economic side of our society.”
Often, March to Might is the dry season in Nepal, making winter precipitation vital to take care of moisture. “As a result of there isn’t any rain for a very long time in winter, it’ll make our soil drier, and the vulnerability of farmers will enhance.”
In accordance with the Worldwide Heart for Built-in Mountain Improvement (ICIMOD), mountain peaks within the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) area, which incorporates 8 nations, together with Nepal, are experiencing a really uncommon winter with little or no snowfall all through the area. In a recent statement, ICIMOD mentions, “Farmers are understandably involved, as low snowfall has a direct and extreme affect on agriculture. That is significantly acute for the HKH area, which is closely depending on agriculture.”
Researchers like Kafle worry it might be a sign of a “famine” down the road, stating, “We’re observing a dry spell for a very long time throughout farming, which is inflicting agricultural drought and should alter our meals cycle.”
Low-Water-Intensive Crops and Farming Strategies To Adapt
Knowledge from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock additionally means that the productiveness of wheat is decrease in drought years.
Dr. Tika Bahadur Karki, Senior Scientist on the Nepal Agriculture Analysis Council (NARC), says it’s evident that the winter rainfall sample will not be in favor of farmers.
“It’s turning into routine that farmers usually tend to not get sufficient precipitation when their crops want it,” crop scientist Dr. Karki mentioned.
“Winter rainfall is pushed in the direction of the tip of the season, suddenly. However farmers want a minimum of three rainfalls in winter.”
At NARC, a group of scientists is making an attempt to find out crop planting instances that may coincide with altering rain patterns and develop low-water-intensive crop varieties.
“In our experimental farming, the place we do not dig soil that a lot, yield is excessive as a result of we’re capable of maintain soil moisture,” Karki defined. “If this method is prolonged to the farmers, manufacturing will not be affected a lot even in drought.”
However the issue will not be having a devoted technique to channel climate and scientific data to the farmers. “We are attempting to investigate current years’ climate patterns and what it means for agriculture,” Sabnam Shiwakoti Aryal, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson on the Ministry, mentioned.
“We additionally acknowledge that scientific data must be accessible to farmers.”
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