Indigenous knowledge should not be treated as outdated or symbolic. Instead, it should be recognised as a valuable resource for addressing climate and environmental challenges
For generations, Nepal's Tharu community has lived in close relationship with nature. Their livelihood strategies, food systems, habitation, and cultural practices have evolved through long interactions with forests, wetlands, rivers, and agricultural landscapes. Even as development reshapes rural life, many Tharu households still maintain indigenous practices that reflect deep ecological knowledge and adaptation to climate and environmental stressors. In a changing climate, these are not merely cultural practices; they are examples of community resilience and sustainable living.
In Kailari Rural Municipality of Sudurpaschim Province, like elsewhere, communities are experiencing climate-related challenges such as erratic rainfall, prolonged drought, floods, heat stress, cold waves, and biodiversity loss. Despite these challenges, the Tharu of Kailari have continued to adapt using locally grounded knowledge systems.
Traditional grain storage structures known as deheri and kudli, made from mud and paddy straw, are commonly used to store paddy, wheat, and maize. Beyond its cultural significance, the deheri functions as a low-cost and sustainable storage technology that protects foodgrains from pests and moisture. Similarly, potatoes are stored in pouches made from straw and mud, preserving seed and food potatoes for long periods and keeping them as fresh as newly harvested ones. During floods, these pouches are hung on beams or roof poles to keep food supplies safe.
What may appear to be simple traditional practice is smart disaster preparedness strategy shaped by lived experience.
"Dehri, kudli, and other traditional storage systems are not merely cultural relics; they are living examples of climate resilience. As a Tharu, I have witnessed how they have helped safeguard food, conserve seeds, and cope with flood, drought, and other uncertainties," said Pashupati Chaudhary, PhD, a former climate resilient agriculture specialist at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), Bangkok.
"For generations, we have been storing foodgrains and seeds for the next farming cycle in deheri and kudli," said Sundari Devi Chaudhary, a 38-year-old farmer from Jamanipur, Kailari Rural Municipality, pointing to the storage bins in her home.
Many households continue to depend on wild edibles for seasonal nutrition and livelihood. Wild vegetables, mushrooms, ferns, fish, snails, crabs, and mussels are important food sources, especially for poorer households.
The traditional Tharu delicacy ghongi (freshwater snail), collected between July and September, contribute to food and nutrition security and cultural identity. Similarly, small indigenous fish species known locally as hile macha (striped snakehead), charangi (Assamese snakehead), dhongi (ocellated pufferfish), sedri (rosy barb), rawa (reba carp), and goira (goira loach) are deeply embedded in local diets and rituals.
"For the Tharu, monsoon brings more than rain, it brings small fish that sustain both tradition and survival. While some are enjoyed fresh, others are transformed into masular, a cherished delicacy made from small fish and taro leaves. Sun-dried and preserved for years, it embodies generations of ancestral wisdom, serving not only as a cultural delicacy but also as a vital food source during times of scarcity," says Sunita Chaudhary, Biodiversity Lead at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).
Traditional crops and local landraces also contribute to resilience. Anadi rice, for example, holds great cultural value among the Tharu. During the Maghi festival, it is used to prepare dhikri, a steamed rice flour preparation used for ritual worship and served at cultural events. Likewise, Tharu aalu (a local potato variety) is known for its adaptability and resilience – it is relatively drought tolerant, less susceptible to pests, and has good shelf life. In a changing climate where water stress and pest outbreaks are becoming common, local varieties have practical advantages over commercial hybrids.
The Tharu also use roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) as a substitute for lemon in pickles and kapuwa (a dish made from flour, vegetables and dried fish). It is easy to cultivate, requires little irrigation, and reduces dependency on produce from external markets. Such practices illustrate how communities adapt based on local availability and ecological suitability rather than relying entirely on external inputs.
These biodiversity-based systems face threats from commercial agriculture, pesticides, and habitat loss. This decline undermines cultural identity and traditional knowledge. Despite providing reliable practical solutions for climate adaptation, food security, and sustainable resource use, these indigenous practices are frequently overlooked in formal development planning.
The experience of the Tharu demonstrates that resilience is not built only through modern technology or external interventions. It is also built through biodiversity conservation, local seed systems, traditional architecture, seasonal food practices, and cultural continuity. Indigenous knowledge should therefore not be treated as outdated or symbolic. Instead, it should be recognised as a valuable resource for addressing climate and environmental challenges.
"Traditional storage systems and indigenous knowledge are not only valuable cultural heritage but also practical strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience," said Bhagwoti Chaudhary, Vice-Chairperson of Kailari Rural Municipality.
The Tharu relationship with nature reminds us that resilience often comes from living with ecosystems rather than against them. Their practices offer important lessons on sustainability, adaptation, and coexistence at a time of environmental and climate uncertainty. Recognition of their knowledge systems can help create more inclusive and sustainable climate adaptation strategies for the future.
Yogi is Project Officer with Group of Helping Hands (SAHAS) and Aryal is Climate Resilient Agriculture Specialist at ICIMOD