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Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge of Soil Regulation Services, and Factors Effecting Decision-Making in Agricultural Landscapes in the Terai Plains of Nepal

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Innovations and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas (InterSol 2020)

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Abstract

Rapid degradation of soil regulation services is a growing concern for agricultural producers worldwide, with the potential for adverse impacts on agricultural productivity, food security, and livelihoods. Yet, data integrating observations of soil nutrient and physical status with farmers’ knowledge of soil fertility is lacking, while landscape-level empirical assessments remain limited. In this paper, it is argued that a deeper understanding of the benefits and trade-offs of management practices currently employed by farmers to secure soil nutrients could help to promote improvements in natural resource management, agricultural productivity and efficiency. Using the case of the Central and Western Terai Plains of Nepal in 2012–2014, rice-cultivated soil parameters were estimated, and 354 respondents were interviewed to determine the cropping systems, soil nutrient status and risks, indigenous soil classification systems, and key biophysical, institutional, economic and risk perception factors effecting decision-making. Findings reveal farmers are acutely aware of the main causes of soil degradation and until today, these issues continue to be of critical importance. To counter this degradation, farmers employ a diversity of landscape-level practices to secure optimal crop yields and soil nutrients. However, farmers have limited access to agricultural extension services and scientific monitoring and apply fewer mineral fertilisers than previously reported. Additional investments are required to optimize farmers’ practices and soil regulation services, such as cooperation for knowledge innovation systems, public/private extension, organisation for co-management, integrated nutrient management, and private forestry on farms. The case illustrates local knowledge and incremental efforts to adapt to emerging risks remain the foundation to implement spatially targeted conservation measures and design adaptive land use plans.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Permissions to conduct the fieldwork from local communities were obtained, objectives were stated upfront to ensure respondents understood the purpose of the use of the information, and confidentiality/anonymity was ensured. Access to study sites was facilitated through NARC and a local organisation Friends Service Council Nepal, with ethical permissions rendered by the University of Oxford.

  2. 2.

    For example, vegetables grown in the study area include potato, cauliflower, beans, cabbage, tomato, onion, ladyfinger, bitter guard, cucumber, bottle guard, carrot, lemon, garlic, peppermint, sunflower, chilli and coriander.

  3. 3.

    For example, the Gold Standard Biogas Voluntary Emissions Reduction pilot project, implemented by WWF since 2015, and the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation plus (REDD+) readiness process was implemented by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and others since 2010.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the farmers who took part in the survey, particularly Bhim Chaudhury, Rhada Chaudhury, Mangu Chaudhury, Shem Narayan Chaudhary, Laksmi Chaudhury, Jhup Lal Bhudhathoki, Chandra Kumari Mahata, Hiramati Grau, Kopila Paudel, the Garima Farmers’ Cooperative and Sagarmatha’s Women’s Group. Research assistance was provided by Anita Bake, Dev Kala Dumre, Renu Shakya, Binay Mahargen, Sindhu Sapkota, Raju Acharey, Dharma Raj Ghimre and Asma K.C. Thanks are due to the advisory support of Thomas F. Thornton, Kathy J. Willis and Ariella Helfgott and the comments of anonymous reviewers. Friends Service Council Nepal and Nepal Agricultural Research Council provided in-country institutional support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. York Institute for Tropical Ecosystems, Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, York, North Yorkshire, YO10 5NG, UK

    Jessica P. R. Thorn

  2. African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Geological Sciences Building, Upper Campus, Level 6, 13 Library Road, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa

    Jessica P. R. Thorn

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  1. Jessica P. R. Thorn
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Correspondence to Jessica P. R. Thorn .

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  1. African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Jessica P. R. Thorn

  2. Université Alioune Diop de Bambey, Bambey, Senegal

    Assane Gueye

  3. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Adam P. Hejnowicz

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This work was supported by Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) research program on Systemic Integrated Adaptation of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research, the Long-term Ecology and Resource Stewardship Lab, and Merton College at the University of Oxford.

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Thorn, J.P.R. (2020). Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge of Soil Regulation Services, and Factors Effecting Decision-Making in Agricultural Landscapes in the Terai Plains of Nepal. In: Thorn, J., Gueye, A., Hejnowicz, A. (eds) Innovations and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas. InterSol 2020. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 321. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51051-0_3

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