Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Community Forest User Groups of Dang District, Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/banko.v35i2.61976Keywords:
Adaptation, Climate Change, Community forestry, Resource, StrategyAbstract
This study on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) strategies in Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) was conducted at two levels: household and user group. The study was conducted in seven Community Forests (CFs) of Dang district, Nepal, using household questionnaires administered to 570 Households (HHs) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) checklists. Primary data on climate change adaptation strategies were collected from both the household and group levels. This study explores the understanding of CCA strategies and climate change adaptation knowledge at the local level. The understanding of climate change is primarily shaped by its adverse effects. We identified nine different adaptation strategies at the household level, while seven different strategies were observed at the user group level. Individual preferences for adaptation practices are often those that provide immediate benefits. Similarly, at the user group level, the construction of recharge ponds and ecological restoration activities were among the most widely adopted CCA strategies with strategic importance. An Eta correlation was used to assess the relationship between household income and climate change adaptation strategies, yielding a coefficient of 0.383, indicating a relationship exists. The study concludes that CFUGs have emphasized CCA strategies as an inseparable part of their community practices, as evidenced by their choices at both the household and user group levels.
Downloads
References
References
Adhikari, D., Prasai, R., Lamichhane, S., Gautam, D., Sharma, S., Acharya, S., 2021. Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies in trans-Himalaya region of Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood 20 (1): 16-30.
Atube, F., Malinga, G.M., Nyeko, M., Okello, D.M., Alarakol, S.P., and Okello-Uma, I., 2021. Determinants of smallholder farmers’ adaptation strategies to the effects of climate change: Evidence from northern Uganda. Agric & Food Secur, 10 (6): 14.
Berkhout, F., Dow, K., 2022. Limits to adaptation: Building an integrated research agenda, WIREs Clim Change: 12 pps.
Bartlett. J.A., and Dedekorkut-Howes, A. 2023. Adaptation strategies for climate change impacts on water quality: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 14 (3): 651-675.
Bednar-Friedl, B., Knittel, N., Raich, J., and Adams, and K.M., 2022. Adaptation to transboundary climate risks in trade: Investigating actors and strategies for an emerging challenge, Wires Climate Change, 13: 22.
Bele, M., Tiani, A., Olufunso, A.S., and Sonwa, D.J. 2013. Exploring vulnerability and adaptation to climate change of communities in the forest zone of Cameroon; Climatic Change. 15.
Bhattarai, B., 2020. How do gender relations shape a community’s ability to adapt to climate change? Insights from Nepal’s community forestry, Climate and Development, 12(10): 876-887.
Biesbroek, G.R., Swart, R.J. , Carter, T.R. , Cowan, C., Henrichs, T. , Mela, H., Morecroft, M.D., and Rey, D., 2010. Europe adapts to climate change: comparing national adaptation strategies. Global Environmental Change, 20: 440-450.
Brandta, L., Lewis, A.D., Faheyc, R., Scottd, L., Darlingd, L., and Swanstona, C., 2020. A framework for adapting urban forests to climate change, Environmental Science and Policy, 66: 393-402.
Bryan, E., Ringler, C., Okoba, B., Roncoli, C., Silvestri, S., and Herrero, M, 2013. Adapting agriculture to climate change in Kenya: household strategies and determinants, Journal of Environmental Management, 114: 26-35.
Cannon, T. and Muller Mahn, D., 2010. Vulnerability, resilience and development discourses in context of climate change. Nat Hazards, 55: 621–635.
Chausson, A., Turner, B., Seddon, D., Chabaneix, N., Girardin, C.A.J., Kapos, V., Key, E., Roe, D., Smith, A., Woroniecki, S., and Seddon, N., 2020. Mapping the effectiveness of nature- based solutions for climate change adaptation. Global Change Biology, 26: 6134-6155.
Cooper, M. and Messina, C.D., 2023. Breeding crops for drought-affected environments and improved climate resilience. The Plant Cell, 35: 162-186.
Cradock-Henry, N.A., Kirk, N., Ricart, S., Diprose, G., and Kannemeyer, R. 2023. Decisions, options, and actions in the face of uncertainty: a systematic bibliometric and thematic review of climate adaptation pathways, Environ. Res. Lett. 18: 22 pps.
Dany V., Bowen, K.J., and Miller, F., 2015. Assessing the institutional capacity to adapt to climate change: a case study in the Cambodian health and water sectors. Climate Policy, 15(3): 388-4.
Dellmuth, L.M. and Gustafsson, M., 2021. Global adaptation governance: how intergovernmental organizations mainstream climate change adaptation, Climate Policy, 21 (7): 868-883.
De Scally, D., and Doberstein, B., 2021. Local knowledge in climate change adaptation in the Cook Islands, Climate and Development: 1-12.
Fu, B., Liu, Y. and Meadows, M.E., 2023. Ecological restoration for sustainable development in China, National Science Review, 10: 1-12.
Ghimire, R., and Chhetri, N., 2022. Challenges and prospects of local adaptation plans of action (LAPA) initiative in Nepal as everyday adaptation, Ecology and Society, 27(4).
GON (2021). National adaptation plan (2021-2050), Government of Nepal, 157 pps.
IPCC 2014. Climate change 2014 synthesis report summary for policymakers, 31pps.
IPCC, 2022: Summary for Policymakers, 3-33 pps, accessed in https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGII_SummaryForP olicymakers.pdf, accessed on 25 July 2023.
Kandel, GP, Bavorova, M., Ullah, A., Kaechele, H, and Pradhan, P., 2023. Building resilience to climate change: Examining the impact of agro-ecological zones and social groups on sustainable development, Sustainable Development. 31:3796– 3810.
Keessen, A. M., Hamer, J. M., Van Rijswick, H. F. M. W., and Wiering M., 2013. The concept of resilience from a normative perspective: examples from Dutch adaptation strategies. Ecology and Society 18(2): 45.
Keskinen, M., Chinvanno, S., Kummu, M., Nuorteva, P., Snidvongs, A., Varis, O., and Va Stila, K., 2010. Climate change and water resources in the Lower Mekong River Basin: putting adaptation into the context. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 1(2): 103- 117.
Khadka, C., Upadhyaya, A., Edwards-Jonášová, M., Dhungana, N., Baral, S., and Cudlin, P., 2022. Differential Impact Analysis for Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study from Nepal. Sustainability, 20.
Kumar, K.N.R, Reddy, M.J.M., Reddy, K.V., Paramesha, V., Balasubramanian, M., Kumar, T.K., Kumar, R.M., and Reddy, D.D., 2023. Determinants of climate change adaptation strategies in south India: empirical evidence. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems: 1-11.
Maru, Y.T., Smith, S.M., Sparrow, A., Pinho, P.F., Dube, and O.P., 2014. A linked vulnerability and resilience framework for adaptation pathways in remote disadvantaged communities. Global Environmental Change, 28: 327-350.
MOFE, 2019. National Climate Change Policy 2019. Ministry of Forests and Environment, Kathmandu.
MOFE, 2021. Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and Identifying Adaptation Options: Summary for Policy Makers. Ministry of Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
MOGESS, Y.K., AYEN DD, 2023. The effects of climate change adaptation strategies on the welfare of rural farm households in Ethiopia, Food and Energy Security, accessed at By Moges and Ayon '22_FES.pdf, accessed on 9 April 2023.
Nepal, P., 2019. Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into sectoral policies in Nepal: A review. The Geographical Journal of Nepal, 12: 1-24.
Nor Diana, M.I., Zulkepli, N.A., Chamhuri, S., and Zainol, M.R., 2022. Farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 14: 15 pps.
Pandey, R., Kumar, P., Archie, K.M., Gupta, A.K., Joshi, P.K., Valente, D., Petrosillo, I., 2018. Climate change adaptation in the western-Himalayas: Household level perspectives on impacts and barriers. Ecological Indicators, 84: 27- 37.
Ranabhat, S., Acharya, S. Upadhaya, S., Adhikari, B., Thapa R., Rnabhat, S., Gautam, D.R., 2023. Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies in watershed areas in mid‑hills of NepaL, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 10 pps.
Raihan, A., 2023. A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation strategies, and
mitigation options in the socio-economic and environmental sectors. Journal of Environmental Science and Economics, 36-58.
Rej, S•, Bandyopadhyay, A., Das, N., Emran Hossain, M., Islam, S•, Bera, P•, Yeediballi, T. 2022. The asymmetric influence of environmental‑related technological innovation on climate change mitigation: what role do FDI and renewable energy play?, Environmental Science and Pollution Research: 16 pps.
Rijal, S., Gentle, P., Khanal, U., Wilson, C., and Rimal, B., 2021. A systematic review of Nepalese farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies, Climate Policy: 1-12.
Roshani, Sajjad, H., Kumar, P., Masroor, M., Rahaman, M.H., Rehman, S., Ahmed, R., Sahana, M., 2022. Forest vulnerability to climate change: a review for future research framework. Forests: 18 pps.
Salerno, F., 2017. Adaptation Strategies for Water Resources: Criteria
for Research. Water: 2-9.
Shayanmehr, S., Porhajasova, J.I., Babosova, M., Sabouhi Sabouni, M., Mohammadi, H., Rastegari Henneberry, S., Shahnoushi Foroushani, N. The Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources and Crop Production in an Arid Region. Agriculture, 12: 22.
Smit, B., Wandel, J., 2006. Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Global Environmental Change, 16:292-292.
Taylor, P.J., 2022. The geographical ontology challenge in attending to anthropogenic climate and change: regional geography revisited. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 114 (2): 63–70.
Thomas, K., Hardy, R.D., Lazrus, H., Mendez, M., Orlove, B., Rivera- Collazo, I., Roberts, J.T., Rockman, M., Warner, B.P., and Winthrop, R., 2018. Explaining differential vulnerability to climate change: A social science review. WIRES Climate Change: 1- 18.
Turner, B., Devisscher, T., Chabaneix, N., Woroniecki, S., Messier, C., Seddon, N., 2022. The Role of Nature-Based Solutions in Supporting Social-Ecological Resilience for Climate Change Adaptation. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 7: 123–148.
Wester P., A. Mishra, A. Mukherji, and A. B. Shrestha (eds), 2019. The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment—Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People. Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Cham, 627.
Wise, R.M., Fazey, I., Stafford Smith, M., Park, S.E., Eakin, H.C., Archer Van Garderen, E.R.M., and Campbell, B., 2014. Reconceptualizing adaptation to climate change as part of pathways of change and response. Global Environmental Change, 325- 336.
Yazdanpanah, M., Wheeler, S.A., Zuo, A., and Zobeidi, T., 2022. Understanding the influence of Iranian farmers’ climate change beliefs on their adaptation strategies and mitigation intentions, Climate and Development, 14 pps.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Forest Research and Training Centre
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
© Forest Research and Training Centre, Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal
