The indigenous local populations of Nepal possess rich and diverse traditional knowledge, technologies and practices that are increasingly being used to design.

CCA (Climate Change Adaptation) and DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction)-related solutions. Indigenous population esp. residing in remote communities uses traditional knowledge to mitigate both climatic and non-climatic changes.

 

Maplecroft ranked Nepal the 4th most vulnerable countries in the world – a British organization based on its growing vulnerability to climate change impacts (2011 A.D). So these indigenous knowledge provide a basic framework to mitigate and adapt climate change in both remote and urban areas (if used based on science).

 

Indigenous and local practices (ILP) are the result of the application of culture, context, and location-specific knowledge to solve local problems. These practices have evolved through the use of ILK generated over hundreds of years and are locally tailored, cost-effective and community-owned.

 

If future generation can be left with legacy of these indigenous traditional practices, loopholes of modern practices can be minimized.

 

1. Water Resources Management:

 

Irrigation and drinking water systems is the area where Nepali ITK of water management focuses on.

 

One typical example is devise cut from tree trunk called ?Sancho? installed in an irrigation canal for distributing water to smaller canal that serve farming plots. Farmers also used bushes, wood, mud and stones as ?Sancho?. These are common in Tharu tribes in Nepal esp. in Chitwan area.

 

The other local water management examples are ?Dhunge dharas? and ?Paani Pandheros? that tap natural springs for meeting drinking needs. Dhunge-dharas (stone spouts) some of which date back Licchavi era (500 CE) met drinking water needs of resident of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. These are found in Newari community of Nepal.

 

 

    2. Rural Transport System

These transport management are eco-friendly and seems scientific which are built and developed hundred of years ago.

 

Traditional knowledge and skills have also been used to construct goreto and ghoreto (trails for people and animals respectively) in rural areas and to maintain slope stability through a calculated width and height of steps. Traditionally built trail bridges and tuin (a sort of ropeway over deep, fast flowing rivers), despite the risk they pose, are exemplary evidence of how indigenous technology evolved to enable people to cross rivers.

 

      3.Forest and pasture management

There are many tribes they were completely dependent on forest products in past and still ?Raute Tribe? is one adopting forest life. Their idea, knowledge, practices is what created community forest system approved scientifically and world famous today.

 

      4. Settlements and housing

Housing practices are most traditional, climate friendly and scientifically applicable in Nepal. Many studies have shown, Nepali indigenous system of housing are healthy then modern concrete housing.

 

Nepali villagers grow shrubs and grasses in and around their hill settlements to shore up the soil and protect their homes and community properties from the flash floods and landslides heavy rainfall often triggers. They rarely plant large trees close to their homes for fear of their falling and damaging homes.

 

In the Chure region farmers plant amriso (bouquet grass) and babiyo (Eulaliopis sp.), species with strong soil-stabilizing properties, to protect settlements from landslides.

Local communities plant bamboo, a species whose spreading root system helps conserve soils in gullies and shady areas to regulate runoff.

 

Communities also build drywall and biological fences to minimize the effects of floods, landslides, erosion, side cutting, and slope failure and thereby protect settlements. These knowledge are more climate resilient and sustainable.

 

Source : Mainstreaming Climate Change Risk Management in Development, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE)