nawalparasiddc

Nepal is prone to natural disasters due to its geographical and climatic variations requiring different coping strategies to minimise the negative effects. The vulnerable groups, mainly poor people from the rural and urban areas, are in a dilemma of economic hardship, insufficient knowledge on disaster management, low literacy rates, inadequate physical infrastructure, poor forecasting facilities and unplanned settlement. This situation leads to a number of frequent problems related with the livelihoods of the vulnerable people. The hardest hit is the agricultural sector.

Practical Action Nepal's Disaster risk reduction and climate change programme aims to reduce the loss of lives and property of vulnerable communities due to water induced disaster and addresses the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities by identifying and developing adaptation and coping strategies.

Based on the lessons learned from previous projects in Nepal and consolidating international learning, Practical Action is focusing its work on preparedness, promotion and adaptation of indigenous practices, and the development of early warning systems appropriate for flood disaster. The programme further encompasses

• the adaptation of existing natural resource management practices to reduce the impacts of climate change;
• study of indigenous coping strategies, knowledge and skills;
• adaptation of existing farming system/ ractices;
• strengthening communities’ coping strategies and
• diversifying livelihood options; and establishing appropriate monitoring systems at community/micro level.
  

Building embankment boosts farming

Land erosion and deposition of debris due to frequent flooding has left many Bote families in a peril living near the banks of Baulaha River in Nawalparasi District. Among the affected is Sumitra’s (47) family, she lives with her husband, a son and a daughter.

In the last decade, livelihoods of Bote community’s – fishing and ferrying people across the rivers-slowly perished due to river pollution, frequent flooding, and construction of bridges and culverts among others. After much endurance to sustain their livelihoods, like many, Sumitra and her family opted agriculture as their main occupation but unfortunately, frequent flooding has caused them to lose their crops every year forcing them to work as daily wage labourers. “The year 2006 was the most painful one, as the flood destroyed our paddies and deposited debris in our land, I was unable to harvest a single grain of crop,” she recalls.

Sumitra and her family collect and sieve sand and aggregates for selling but the work is very tedious and earns far less compared to farming. Disaster caused by frequent flooding has shifted the settlement of Bote communities (known as Bote Tole) two km away from the main highway. Practical Action in partnership with its local implementing partner - SAHAMATI started implementing DRR project in 2007 along the settlements of Baulaha River. In 2008 winter, communities, project staff and concerned stakeholders agreed to construct a 1.8 km long embankment along both banks of the Baulaha River. The new embankment has helped protect 40 hectares of arable land out of which Sumitra’s family owns one hectare.

“After the project helped us build embankment, we renovated our farms and transplanted paddies. We produced 800 kg last year,” she says. “The produce is enough to fulfill our year round rice supply. There are now other families who have also started cultivating their land.”

Sumitra smiles and further says - “I have received training on different methods of growing vegetables. We consumed the vegetables planted in our 200 square meter yard last season and sold only the remaining and still earned NPR. 5000 (£45). With the money, I bought utensils and spices and have saved half of it for emergency.”