Critical socio-economic issues for livelihood and water security in Nepal

CRITICAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES FOR

LIVELIHOOD AND WATER SECURITY IN NEPAL

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

1. Water security and equity

• Water security in Nepal is intricately connected to one’s position in the social structure.

• Vulnerability to water induced disasters can depend on the capacity of households to protect their crops or homesteads

• With regards to water for climate change adaptation, access is as big a problem as availability.

Water access for groundwater and land tenure

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

Spatial geography of inequality and water security

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

2. Convergence of climatic and economic stress

• Too much focus on climate as a singular driver of change

• Climate induced water stress combines with economic pressures such as price rises for inputs – unique pattern of vulnerability.

• Different groups follow varied strategies to ‘adapt’ - with long term consequences for agrarian development and wellbeing.

Monetisation, debt, and irrigation costs eastern

Tarai-Madhesh: Two patterns of ‘disinvestment’ Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

3. Migration, gender and water

• Male out- migration is critical part of livelihoods at a time of agrarian stress and climate change

• This is paving the way for an unprecedented range of new water access challenges

• Gendered water access has taken on a new dimension

Women’s work burden and constraints to take up new crops - even with access to water

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

4. Migration and collective action

• Migration has resulted in a new set of social constraints to collective action

• Farmer and agency managed irrigation systems are under stress

• Women have failed to take on formerly ‘male roles’ in public sphere, despite their newfound on farm responsibilities

Breakdown of indigenous irrigation institutions in Bajhang

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

5. Combining institutional and technical solutions

• In the context of the stresses outlined thus far, a key priority is to build resilience to agrarian stress through both technical and socio-economic solutions

• Important component is engaging with government and non-government partners in ‘action research’ partnerships

Energy solutions for marginal farmers

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

MUS: a promising approach for food security

and gender equalityPhoto: Floriane Clement / IWMI

Rethinking the agricultural collective – labour, land and technology pooling for tenant farmers

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

Working with water user committees in earthquake affected zones

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

• Sustainable development of Nepal’s hydrological resources for energy generation is critical for both climate change resilience and economic growth

• Persisting energy crisis in irrigation (dependence on diesel)

• Water storage to manage seasonal scarcity –significant irrigation potential

• Yet, there are equity trade offs

6. Contested hydropower development

Fishing communities in the Koshi floodplainsPhoto: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

Conclusion

• What are the critical challenges for water management and water security in Nepal in an era of climatic, economic and demographic stress and the post-earthquake context?

• What are the solutions and what investment and management decisions are needed?

• How can IWMI’s work in Nepal contribute to national priorities in the water sector

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI

Thank you

Photo: Fraser Sugden / IWMI