KATHMANDU, Feb 13 (IPS) – Najboon Khatun appears up on the sky daily, trying to find the opportunity of rain. Clouds come and go and not using a drop of water. “Winter crops like wheat and greens want water, however like final 12 months, 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 upon rain as a supply of irrigation. Nevertheless, they’re dealing with one more 12 months of drought, affecting winter crops, together with wheat, mustard, lentils, and greens.
They’re presently dealing with one other 12 months 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 stated at the moment whereas pointing to her dry agricultural area. Farmers like her are dealing with the results of extended drought in each the monsoon and winter.
The winter drought is harsh not solely in Terai but additionally for farmers within the mid-hills and mountainous areas. Kul Bahadur Pulami Magar (68) from Jwalamukhi-1, Dhading, isn’t capable of develop wheat due to the drought.
“It is the second 12 months in a row that we’re not capable of develop wheat and different winter crops.”
Farmers within the mid-hills like Dhading primarily rely upon rainfall for irrigation, however lately, they’ve been experiencing a change within the rainfall sample within the monsoon and drought within the winter.
Based on 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. Despite the fact that seasonal forecasts stated in any other case, this 12 months’s winter rainfall didn’t occur when farmers wanted it probably the most. Based on the DHM knowledge from December onwards, there may be practically no rainfall; solely 7.5 millimeters of rainfall had been obtained (till February 11), whereas the common for the winter season is 60.1 millimeters.
“A chronic winter drought will certainly have an effect on crops, in the end altering meals safety,” stated 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 attributable to adjustments in rainfall patterns and their affect on crop yield, a priority shared by consultants. Dr. Hemu Kafle says, “Farmers are trapped in conditions the place they don’t get sufficient rain after they want it.”
In recent times, there was a development of extended winters with out precipitation, impacting manufacturing.
Kafle, whose analysis focuses on drought and desertification, notes that farmers are experiencing “Agricultural Drought” extra regularly, particularly in winter. She explains, “There may be traditionally low snowfall within the excessive mountains, and rainfall isn’t close to occurring within the mid-hills and Terai, straight affecting the socio-economic facet of our society.”
Often, March to Could is the dry season in Nepal, making winter precipitation essential to keep up moisture. “As a result of there is no such thing as a rain for a very long time in winter, it’ll make our soil drier, and the vulnerability of farmers will improve.”
Based on 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 could possibly 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 isn’t in favor of farmers.
“It’s changing into routine that farmers usually tend to not get sufficient precipitation when their crops want it,” crop scientist Dr. Karki stated.
“Winter rainfall is pushed in direction of the top of the season, abruptly. However farmers want a minimum of three rainfalls in winter.”
At NARC, a crew of scientists is making an attempt to find out crop planting occasions that can 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 preserve soil moisture,” Karki defined. “If this technique is prolonged to the farmers, manufacturing is probably not affected a lot even in drought.”
However the issue isn’t having a devoted technique to channel climate and scientific information to the farmers. “We try to investigate latest years’ climate patterns and what it means for agriculture,” Sabnam Shiwakoti Aryal, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson on the Ministry, stated.
“We additionally acknowledge that scientific information must be accessible to farmers.”
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