Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal

This report describes a project funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and implemented by Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) to scale up climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in Nepal. The project focused on three agro-ecological zones—the Terai, mid-hills, and high hills—to identify and pilot technologies that increase productivity, build resilience to climate variability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a specific emphasis on the needs of women and poor farmers.

• Nepal's agriculture sector is highly vulnerable to climate variability and extremes, particularly affecting women and smallholders. A significant portion of farmers operate on very small scales, with 26.69% holding less than 0.2 hectares and 47.31% holding less than 0.5 hectares.
• The adoption of climate-smart agricultural technologies depends heavily on local context and the perceived multiple benefits of the intervention. For example, rice-and-duck farming was accepted by some Tharu farmers in Nawalparasi because it reduces weeding workloads for women and chemical fertilizer use, but was rejected by others due to the low market value of imported duck species and predation risks.
• Effective CSA implementation requires a 'package' or portfolio of interlinked measures rather than isolated technologies. An example of such a package includes combining improved cattle sheds with the collection of urine and manure to improve soil quality and reduce chemical fertilizer needs.
• Financial sustainability for CSA is best achieved through a mix of contributions based on the farmer's economic status. While medium to rich farmers should pay for technology, poor farmers benefit more from partial or full subsidies combined with in-kind labor contributions, which increases local ownership.
• Successful scaling of CSA requires strategic engagement with subnational government structures and the private sector. The project demonstrated that partnerships between NGOs (like LI-BIRD), government extension offices, and private agencies (such as SMILES for SMS-based agro-advisories) allow for more efficient delivery of services.
• Vulnerability assessments must be socially disaggregated to address the specific needs of different groups. In Lamjung, dalit households prioritized food and nutrition security over commercial activities because they lacked land for rice cultivation, whereas janajati households prioritized market-driven interventions like cardamom and coffee production.

APA

Thapa, K., Bhatta, K., Bhattarai, B., & Gurung, K. D. (2016). Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CDKN_Climate-smart-agriculture_Nepal_web-final.pdf

Chicago

Thapa, Keshab, Kiran Bhatta, Bhawana Bhattarai, and Karma Dolma Gurung. Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2016. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CDKN_Climate-smart-agriculture_Nepal_web-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Thapa |first1=Keshab |last2=Bhatta |first2=Kiran |last3=Bhattarai |first3=Bhawana |last4=Gurung |first4=Karma Dolma |title=Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=July 2016 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CDKN_Climate-smart-agriculture_Nepal_web-final.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thapa2016climatesmart, author = {Thapa, Keshab and Bhatta, Kiran and Bhattarai, Bhawana and Gurung, Karma Dolma}, title = {{Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CDKN_Climate-smart-agriculture_Nepal_web-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }