Climate change has adversely affected various sources of life around the world and agriculture is one of them.
According to a study, due to climate change in the last 60 years around the world 21% reduction in agriculture Has come
The most important of the factors affecting agriculture due to climate change is the decrease in productive season, ie unexpected rainfall and increase in summer duration is affecting the crops.
With the increase in the duration of summer, on the one hand, the crops grown in cold weather are getting less time for growth, on the other hand, the heat of long period is also damaging the crops grown in summer.
Water scarcity is also a major cause of global warming, in addition to meeting the nutritional needs of a growing population when crops are used to grow crops and produce more than the earth can afford. The skin becomes barren, thus reducing the area under cultivation.
In view of these dangerous prospects of malnutrition in the near future, various methods are being introduced, and one of them is home gardening or growing vegetables at home.
This home gardening in a village in Nepal has changed the lives of local women.
Nepal The country is trying to deal with climate change
Nepal, a South Asian country with a population of about 29.2 million, has 25 percent forest cover, but the effects of climate change are still significant.
According to Climate Change Risk Atlas classification Nepal ranks 13th among potential countries affected by climate change Is.
International research institutes on agriculture and food security CGIAR According to the report, millions of Nepalis are at risk due to the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture, potential food shortages, water scarcity, and deforestation in Nepal.
Glaciers are the main source of water in this mountainous country. However, rising temperatures have increased the rate of melting of these glaciers. It’s a disturbing situation.
According to a study by the Asian Development Bank, Nepal’s GDP is declining by 1.5 percent each year due to climate change-related losses, up from 2.2 percent by 2050 and 9.9 percent by the end of this century. Will reach
Small efforts that are changing people’s lives
Damage to agriculture due to changing seasons calls for new priorities and measures, the easiest of which is home gardening or home gardening so that every household can be self-sufficient in its nutritional needs.
A good example of this is the few villages in Nepal where home gardening has changed the lives of locals.
Jumna Adhikari, 35, is a resident of a village in Koikalthamka, a hilly area not far from Kathmandu. Home gardening has turned his life around.
When he did not start gardening at home 3 years ago, he and other families in the village were forced to eat certain foods due to the remoteness of markets and economic hardship.
Jumna says that at that time almost all the farmers in the village used to grow mustard which they could sell to get a limited amount of money.
Then 3 years ago with the help of some institutions they were trained to grow vegetables at home, the main purpose of which was to meet the nutritional needs of the villagers so that they can get different vegetables at home, saving their money. While the hassle of going away from the village to buy vegetables could be eliminated.
But now, in three years, all the women of the village have expanded their horticulture to such an extent that not only their nutritional needs are met but they are also selling this vegetable.
“Every household earns about Rs 1 lakh a year from the sale of this vegetable. We have never seen such a huge amount in our lives,” says Jumna with bright eyes.
Regarding her home gardening, Jumna says that she gardens in two parts, one for home needs, the other for sale. For home, she grows 21 types of vegetables, including cauliflower, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and carrots, one after the other.
The number of vegetables grown for commercial purposes is small but the quantity is high.
Kiran Bhushal, project coordinator of CEAPRED, a local organization that trains villagers in Nepal, says that when relief work was launched in the village, they noticed that the villagers were suffering from food imbalances because they had a few specific They were eating only food.
“This was due to economic weakness and lack of access to the city market. We suggested that if the villagers grew vegetables at home, it would be easier for them to get food, while with extra care. They will be able to get vegetables even in this season which is a relatively dry season and the crop yield is low, ”said Kiran.
However, the income was an added benefit that greatly improved the lives of the villagers. Jumna says that being from a poor family she could never go to school, but now this income has enabled her to She is sending her children to school.
Get rid of harmful chemical fertilizers
Fertilizer prepared locally for cultivation and horticulture in these villages of Nepal.Swinging‘Used, this fertilizer is made from animal dung, rotten vegetables, fruits and leaves.
A spray made from cow urine is being used on crops as an insecticide.
Kiran explains that until some time ago when villagers used harmful pesticides on their crops, they were suffering from various medical problems. It is also harmful to health and its continued use can lead to dangerous diseases. However, locally produced fertilizers and sprays are now being used for both commercial crops and home gardening and are a major cause of public health problems. It has decreased.
American research institutes Drug watcher Chemicals sprayed on crops and used to fertilize the soil can cause skin allergies, respiratory problems, digestive problems and even cancer.
Kiran says home-grown organic farming has protected locals from harmful fertilizers and pesticides.
Local sources for water supply
The biggest problem in getting vegetables all year round was to deal with the drought. According to Kiran, it was very easy to grow anything in the rainy season but the problem would be when the rains stopped.
At that time water scarcity also affected the villagers’ commercial crop production.
To deal with this problem, special tanks have been set up at various places in the village. Rainwater is stored in these tanks made of clay, sand and cement which are used after the end of the rainy season.
“Home gardening has made our situation much better. Along with economic prosperity, we have also got the gift of health. With a little bit of hard work and a little effort, our life will get so much better, we never thought,” said Jumna. She tells with a twinkling smile.
Story Supported By: ICIMOD & GRID-Arendal