MYAGDI, MARCH 12
People's representatives of Myagdi have expressed concern about unseasonal rainfall and immoderate rise in heat and cold wave.
Saying that agro produce had decreased due to several climatic reasons including extreme rainfall and drought, they stressed on adopting alternative methods in agriculture production and livestock.
Chief of Myagdi District Coordination Committee Devendra KC called on the United Nations World Food Programme and National Planning Commission to introduce planning measures to ease the livelihood of the people.
He further noted that climate change has been impacting food security and if technological measures were not taken for adaptive food and livestock it would create havoc in food security, increase starvation and push the national economy to a difficult condition.
It may be noted that the National Planning Commission in collaboration with the World Food Programme is commissioning a study on climate change impacts at the local levels in Myagdi.
Chairperson of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, Thamsara Pun, said the farmers are bearing the brunt of changed farming timing, drought, hailstorm and wildlife rampage. Likewise, Chairperson of Raghuganga Rural Municipality Bhakta Bahadur Bhandari said the crops of indigenous species are on the verge of disappearance with increasing tendency of depending on imported items and keeping the fertile agro land uncultivated.
NPC Director Mahesh Kharel said the study had been initiated as per the policy of exploring alternative production and spurring investment in adaptive production.
The study undertaken in Karnali and Sudurpaschim revealed that challenges had increased regarding food security due to climate change. Considering this finding, a study has been mooted in Gandaki and Bagmati provinces this time, Kharel added. The Gandaki Province in partnership with NPC, WFP and local levels has increased investment in the district on agriculture.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 13, 2022, of The Himalayan Times
