River bed Farming (RbF) in Nepal

Riverbed farming (baluwa/bagarkhetii.e. cultivation in the sand) is the general practice of cultivating crops on the bed or in some cases banks of the river during the low water/dry seasons. This practice dates back to thirty years when mostly Indian nomadic farmers living near the border areas used to come to cultivate the riverbeds which were arable for certain types of crops. Watermelon was the only crops cultivated in the beginning. Although it started under the circumstances where there were no alternative lands for cultivation of crop such as watermelon, the scope has certainly widened greatly. And its utilization in wider scale is a relatively recent phenomenon.

The practice has evolved from being a subsistence livelihood approach to a commercial enterprise among the marginalized, landless and land-poor communities of terai. The key reasons for the expansion of this practice are mainly due to the availability of fertilizers and nutrients and improved agriculture technologies, easy availability of riverbeds, access to transportation and markets. Products from RbF always have access to the market. The emergence and development of haat bazaars have positively impacted rural agriculture in general with no exception for RbF. The yields are either sold by the farmers in these local markets or whole sellers and middlemen come to the farmers’ doorsteps to purchase the yield.

Major crops in RbF

The major crops grown by farmers along the river beds are watermelon (CitrulluslanatusT.), bottle gourd (Lagenariasiceraria), cucumber (CucumisstivusL.), summer squash (CucurbitapepoL.), bitter gourd (Momordicacharantia L.), pumpkin (Cucurbitamoschata D.), pointed gourd (Trichosanthesdioica R.) and sponge gourd (LuffacylindricaR.). Few farmers also grew chilly, beans, tomato and other high-value vegetables on the riverbeds. The choice of crop entirely depends on soil conditions and water availability.

 Majority of farmers undertake direct sowing of seeds in the pits. Seed rate used for each species depends on the nature of the plants. Seeds are usually wrapped until germination and sown once they germinate. After sowing the seeds, mulching was done using locally available dry grasses. Sowing of seeds was done between November-December but there has been a slight shirt in the period as monsoon occasionally extends beyond the normal rainy season as riverbed farming depends on the water level in the rivers. However, early sown seeds and resulting seedlings have higher survival chances because they are able to survive the frost and dew during the winter having matured early. Plastic capping has also emerged in the riverbed farming in recent years. 

For more information: csrijal@gmail.com  

Kantipur News dated 17 March, 2015

Photo: Megh Nath Timalsina, DADO Jhapa

Photo: Megh Nath Timalsina, DADO Jhapa

Photo: Megh Nath Timalsina, DADO Jhapa

Chiranjibi Rijal - photostream

csrijal's photostream on Flickr.

Clips collection - Moving around - selected photos.

LocalEconomicDevelopmentCourse2012VTS 01 1

The Development Review Beyond Research (p25-40), ISSN NO: 2220 - 7651, CHANGES IN LIVELIHOOD CAPITAL ASSETS BEFORE AND AFTER CONFLICT: A CASE OF FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN NEPAL

http://thedevelopmentreview.org/Papers/TDR_Volume1Issue1.pdf#page=25

Chiranjibi Rijal, Student PGD-Disaster Management
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

Hom Gartaula, Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Anthropology,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
R3T 2N2 Canada

Abstract
In Nepal, conflict has affected different social groups at different levels and scales. Taking an example from Bardiya District, Western Nepal, the paper aims to assess economic activities and safety nets of conflict-affected female-headed households using capital assets in the sustainable livelihood framework. Open-ended interviews with 30 conflict-affected female-headed households were conducted, in addition to an extensive visit of the study area, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. The study confirms that in post-conflict situations, livelihood opportunities are limited in case of female-headed households. However, due to proliferation of development initiatives targeting conflict-affected families, their social capital increases at greater extent and economic capital at lesser extent. Realizing the limitation of the pentagon of capital assets within sustainable livelihood framework in post-conflict situation, the paper recommends political capital and psychosocial trauma as additional capitals and a heptagon of capital assets, for household level livelihoods in post-conflict situation.

Key words: Capital assets, Post-conflict, Female-headed households, Safety-net, Nepal

Acknowledgement:
The authors would like to thank Netherlands Fellowship Program (NFP) for its generous support in conducting fieldwork in Nepal.

Redefining pentagon of capital assets: A case of conflict affected female-headed households in Nepal

http://www.riskanduncertainty.net/sites/default/files/ISA/ISA_Conferences/2nd_ISAforum/Redefining%20pentagon%20of%20capital%20assets.pdf

ABSTRACT
In Nepal, conflict has affected social groups at different levels and scales. Taking an example from Bardiya district, western Nepal, the paper aims to assess economic activities and safety-nets of conflict affected female-headed households using capital assets of sustainable livelihood framework. The study area was well affected by the decade-long ‘people’s war’ between the government and Maoists that resulted into the formation of many female-headed households especially in the rural part of the country. Open ended interviews with 30 conflict-affected female-headed households were conducted, in addition to an extensive visit of the study area, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The study confirms that in conflict and post-conflict situations, livelihood options and opportunities are limited especially to female-headed households. However, due to proliferation of development initiatives targeting conflict affected families, their social and political capital has increased to a great extent and economic capital to lesser extent. Realizing the limitation of the pentagon of capital assets in conflicts and disaster situations, political and psychosocial capitals are added and a heptagon of capital assets is recommended.
Keywords: Capital assets, Post-conflict, Female-headed households, Safety-net, Nepal

http://www.riskanduncertainty.net/sites/default/files/ISA/ISA_Conferences/2nd_ISAforum/Redefining%20pentagon%20of%20capital%20assets.pdf

Sisdole Landfill Site, Okharpauwa, Nuwakot

Action Learning Group (ALG) - Nepal Climate Change Knowledge Management Centre Strengthening Project

Introduction

Owner: 

Carl Jackson (Westhill Knowledge Group) and Chiranjibi Rijal (Development Inn Pvt. Ltd)

The purpose of the NCCKMC Action Learning Group is the Strengthening project, rather than the more general issue of climate change and development in Nepal. Clearly the two are closely related but for climate change and development to succeed it is important that the NCCKMC becomes stronger. The Action Learning Groups are an opportunity for NCCKMC Staff and Partners to learn together during the project how to overcome challenges, explore questions and take advantage of opportunities to improve delivery and ultimately impact on climate change and development. To this end the concept of Action Learning was introduced to participants in an Inaugural ALG meeting at the NCCKMC Technical Workshop on 4th August 2011 (see Annex for details on the model process and agenda for ALG): 
• Action Learning Groups offer opportunities for reflection on experience for staff and partners of NCCKMC so that learning can be quickly acted upon to enhance the Strengthening project 
• Through membership of a group that meets at NAST every month to share ideas and give each other helpful feedback 
• Supported by a convener who ensures that everyone is heard and the group remains motivated 
• Following the eleven essential values of Action Learning1 
o Membership must be voluntary – forced participation undermines trust 
o Individuals take responsibility for action to bring about positive change o Reflection on past experience is central to new learning 
o Each person is the expert on their own experience 
o The group offers support but also a challenge to individuals’ reflection 
o The group practices empathy to stand in the other person’s shoes 
o The experience should be personally empowering 
o Members pay attention to each other by actively listening and sharing time 
o The detail of discussions within the group remains confidential 
o Commitment over time is essential to build confidence and see change 
o The process values the whole person in all their complexity Having introduced the concept of 
Action Learning and explored in practice how groups might function, participants were asked to say if they would be interested in joining the group formally. We were looking for between 6-8 participants and 17 people put their names forward. Everyone was contacted after the workshop to hear more about their expectations and commitments and to confirm the group’s membership and start dates.  

http://www.ncckmcnast.org.np/publications/synthesis-report-ncckmc-action-learning-group