Managing Crop Diversity On-farm: a Case Study from Nepal

Nepal is small geographically, but is an important centre of agricultural biodiversity. The rich Nepalese agro-biodiversity has evolved over time and space due to extreme variations in altitude and environmental conditions. Crop production takes place between 70 to 3000 m elevation where a wide range of micro-ecological niches are found, and varied crop production systems are being practiced by the farmers. A great diversity is found within most of the food crops and large part of the arable land is planted by local cultivars. In addition to the physical and ecological conditions and the natural evolutionary process, the diversity that exists on-farm has also been greatly influenced by diverse social, cultural and economic conditions of the farming communities. Numerous ethnic groups with varying socio-cultural preferences and needs have contributed to the diversity and farmers have accumulated a wealth of knowledge on these diversities and the systems as a whole. However, due to the introduction of modern varieties, overexploitation of the natural resources, gradual social change, other development interventions affecting the habitats and production environments, and lack of supportive policy environments for the conservation and utilisation of local genetic resources, genetic erosion of the traditional crop diversity is increasing rapidly. Appropriate measures, approaches and strategies are, therefore, required for the conservation and utilisation of these crop genetic resources.