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Research Project: Development of Productive, Profitable, and Sustainable Crop Production Systems for the Mid-South

Location: Crop Production Systems Research

Title: Conservation agriculture for food security and climate resilience in Nepal

Author
item JOSHI, DEEPAK - South Dakota State University
item GHIMIRE, RAJAN - New Mexico State University
item Kharel, Tulsi
item MISHRA, UMAKANT - Sandia National Laboratory
item CLAY, SHARON - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2021
Publication Date: 7/27/2021
Citation: Joshi, D.R., Ghimire, R., Kharel, T.P., Mishra, U., Clay, S.A. 2021. Conservation agriculture for food security and climate resilience in Nepal. Agronomy Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20830.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20830

Interpretive Summary: Cultivation in marginal land due to increased food demand by growing population resulted soil degradation and frequent landslides in Nepal. Combined with climate change the conventional cultivation practice challenge food security in Nepal. This paper provides an overview of farming practices in Nepal, highlights challenges associated with climate change and food security, and discusses the role of conservation agriculture (CA) as a climate-smart strategy to minimize soil degradation and improve food security. A longterm (116 years) climate data has shown increase in temperature (0.016 o C /year) and decrease in precipitation (-0.137 mm/ year) in Nepal. Such trends in the weather pattern could enhance glacier melt associated flooding, and delayed monsoon rainfall patterns affecting agricultural production in Nepal. CA tools such as crop diversification, crop rotation, cover crops, minimum tillage, residue retention can reduce soil degradation. The government is prioritizing promotion of the CA system through promoting low-cost technologies that can be used effectively in difficult terrains.

Technical Abstract: Achieving the sustainable development goals of the United Nations requires innovations in agriculture and development of climate-smart and economically feasible approaches for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Historical climate data of Nepal, which include 116 years since 1901, has shown an increasing trend for average temperature by 0.016 o C yr–1 whereas precipitation has shown a decreasing trend by 0.137 mm yr–1. Such weather trends could enhance glacier melt associated flooding, and delayed monsoon rainfalls negatively impacting the agricultural production. The Nepalese government is promoting conservation agriculture (CA) through development of low-cost technologies that can be used effectively in difficult terrains. Such techniques include crop diversification, crop rotation, cover crops and minimum tillage, all of which can reduce soil degradation. In addition, increasing crop residue retention can result in greater C sequestration and crop yield and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. However, there is still lack of consensus on the merits of CA in the context of smallholder farming systems in Nepal. This paper reviews existing literature and provides an overview of farming practices in Nepal, highlights near-term challenges associated with climate change and food security, and discusses the role of CA as a climate-smart strategy to minimize soil degradation and improve food security.