People's Perception on Climate Change and Agriculture" A Case Study of Limba VDC, Panchthar District, Nepal

Abstract

This study was carried out in Limba VDC of Panchthar District. The objective of this study was to find out the perception and impact of climate change, agriculture, and livelihood oflocal people and effective adaptation mechanism to cope with climatic induced disasters. Signals of climate change impact are already visible in vegetation, hydrology, and rising temperature affecting normal plant productivity and ecosystem services in Limba VDC. Local people whose livelihood is based on the state of natural resources are hard hit when such changes occur. Since the livelihood of the people'sis fewer divers than that of migrant settlers, it is important to understand the level of climate impact on livelihoods of the local community, without which it will be difficult to plan support program in order to enhance their resilience towards the impact of climate change. This study is conducted people's climate change perception of the Limba VDC of Panchthar District of the Eastern region of Nepal, and recommended some adaptation measures. The study analyzed temperature and precipitation records of last 2 decades (1989-2013) and people's perception of the observed variation in climate that has affected ecosystem services. The study focused on people's perception of observed variation in climate change that has affected ecosystem services analyzed temperature and precipitation records of last 2 decades (19892013).The study attempted to research most effective measures adopted by

local community to natural hazards such as flood, landslide, and drought disasters. The study bare that allover temperature in the area is rising, but precipitation is decreasing. The temperature increase is in parity with the observed temperature trends in Nepal, however, the precipitation trend show high fluctuation with increased rainfall amounts and decreased rainy days. Heavy rainfall events have become pronounced since last Years. Local peoples have experienced increasing drought in recent years. Drought has increased disaster risks in the study area. There is no significant evidence their resilience so that they can withstand the threats of droughts such as increase in insects and pests, and change in time of crop harvest etc. the study concluded that the extreme weather events have increased the vulnerability of agriculture based livelihoods of Local peoples that merits immediate attention to enable them to adapt to the emerging threat. Recommendations have been made to enhance their adaptive capacity of Local peoples. Key words: Climate change, Local people, livelihood, drought, ecosystem. Adaptation.