Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures in the Kapilbastu District of Nepal

Govinda Bhandari^1,

¹Environment Professionals’ Training and Research Institute Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu, Nepal

Cite this paper:
Govinda Bhandari. Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures in the Kapilbastu District of Nepal. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2013; 1(5):75-83. doi: 10.12691/aees-1-5-2

Abstract

This research was carried out in Niglihawa, Hathausa, Barkalpur and Dhankauli Village development committee of Kapilbastu district to assess the impacts of climate change in the livelihoods of people. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared for the questionnaire which was tested during the field visit. Almost all respondents reported change in climate and farming system in their locality. Respondents experienced erratic rainfall pattern, decreased length of winter, increased frequency and length of droughts associated with decrease in water sources in recent years. New invasive weeds have appeared. Farmers were forced to adopt new cultivars and change in planting time to adapt with changing conditions. Incidence of plant diseases and natural hazards in recent years are major threats to livelihood. The study found that people have started adaptation measures autonomously. Adoption of new varieties, construction of stone walls and local irrigation canals, cultivation of cash crops were the major adaptation measures observed. People have started protecting watershed to retain the water resources, rehabilitating traditional ponds/water bodies, promoting afforestation and conservation programmes and taking alternative measures to increase irrigation efficiency to cope with these impacts.

Keywords:
climate change adaptation measures Kapilbastu Nepal

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