Maintaining rice diversity in Nepal: what can farmers do?

Rice is the staple food in Nepal, accounting for over 50 percent of food production and nearly 40 percent of nutrition. Over 2,000 different rice varieties are grown in Nepal, but many of these varieties may be lost as the demand for rice increases.

In most parts of Nepal, differenttypes of rice, known as ‘landraces’, are grown on small, subsistence familyfarms. Farmers’ choices are the main factor that determines whether particularrice crops continue to be grown on farms. Research from the International FoodPolicy Research Institute, USA, examines why farmers in Nepal choose to growdifferent varieties of rice.

A hillside location is the mostimportant element for growing different rice types. The greater the differencesin land features within a particular region, the more likely it is that farmerswill grow a range of rice varieties. In Nepal, the most varieties of rice aregrown in the hills areas, while in the low wetland areas, it is mostly moderntypes of rice that are farmed. Other factors that influence the diversity ofrice on farms include the amount of labour available and a household’ssubsistence needs.

Plant breeders influence cropbiodiversity through the supply of new seeds, but recently scientists haveexpressed concerns that, as farmers gain access to markets and newtechnologies, the genetic diversity of rice may be lost. However, most farmerscannot afford to grow rice for conservation purposes.

The authors also found that:

• The age andeducation of decision-makers makes a significant difference in the plains, butnot in other areas, where farmers have less experience of growing differentvarieties.
• Educationincreases the choice of varieties, while access to information enables women toswap rice products in local markets for their own crops.
• More labour onfarms increases rice diversity, particularly in hills areas where there arefewer non-farm opportunities and rice production requires more labour.
• The distance offarms from markets affects the variety of rice grown, as rice cannot so easilybe substituted for other varieties if the farm is a long way away.
• Because womenmake most choices about food, a higher percentage of women in a household meansit will grow more varieties.

Farmers choose which crop to growaccording to its market value and the features of their farm. But the choicesfarmers make affect not only their welfare, but also that of futurecommunities. Agricultural policies must conserve the variety of rice types, butsupporting one type of rice can be negative for other types. Policymakersshould:

• develop one setof policies to support the conservation of diverse landraces, and a separateset of policies for specific rare landraces
• target the conservationof valuable rice varieties in areas where households have more access to land,labour and capital
• increase seedprovision to farmers from plant breeders, scientists and conservationists
• continue existinginitiatives, including public awareness campaigns and diversity fairs
• investigatefurther the market opportunities for different types of rice.