Wetland Diversity and its Management by Local People: A Case Study of Jamunkhadi Lake,Jhapa District, Nepal

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Jamunkhadi Lake, Jhapa wetland area, a wetland listed in Ramsar site, located at jhapa district.The main objective of the study was to measure the dependency on wetland products and to explore how a particular participated group of this wetland changed their livelihood and socio economics status as well as their living standard. For this study descriptive and analytical research design has been adopted to obtain necessary information and 100 respondents have been selected as stratified random sampling method. Primary information have been collected during the field survey through the households survey,key informant interviewand observation as well as secondary data has been used alsowhenevernecessary from different sources such as; published and unpublished book ,journal and Articleslibrary etc. A set of questioner was used to get the desired information related to the livelihoodsituation and further information was obtained through the observation made of the local communities in the study area together with key informant interview. All the surveyed households were found to dependent on the wetland product directly and indirectly the Brahmin/ Chhetri had traditional occupation is agriculture. The traditional way of fishing in the Tharu community still exists but them felling hard to maintain their livelihood through fishing. That is way focus on the livelihood situation of these people who are truly astakeholder of wetland conservation is most needed. Wetland conservation programme is the most important as well as effective programme for local people who depended on wetland resources. During this survey it is found that all of the participated women. Janajati and Dalit has been get after the intervention of this programme includes increased on self-confidence decision making is household's income generation,participation on social organization, leading capacity building, economic status, conservation ofwetland resources knowledge. There is positive impact on wetland conservation by local people.There are some weakness has been seen is this area. some of the member has not been conservation and resources utilization idea. The people of the area are more interested in development and conservation of wetland but NGOs/ INGOs and GJM has not been strictly followed of skill development program. All the wetland depended communities expect the Janajati, Dalit and Dasnami community have ameasurable life condition. The earning from the wetland resources cannot support the livelihood of their family. For its betterment some suggestions are put forward like, the wetland conservation programme should be provided training to the local people who depended on wetland resources, for the employment generation there should be run effective monitoring and evaluation mehani some for the resources used in particular purposive as well as getting benefits from its. People who are in measureable conditions should be provided with various income generation activities and support with awareness program. Wetland diversity conservation program is a crucial key for the economic development of the local people who depended on wetland resources. Definitely, the conservation programme can change scenario of rural economy with developed in cultural, social and economic aspects of the rural people.