Climatelinks Photo Gallery

Maya Rana is a small farmer in B-Gaun, Banke district, trained to utilize safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) developed by the USAID IPM Innovation Lab (IPM-IL, 2015-21), led by Virginia Tech and iDE managed in Nepal. Climate change has made disease and pest problems worse. Nepal has been impacted by invasive pests including the Tuta Absoluta and Fall Armyworm. Tuta is a devastating tomato pest that arrived in Nepal in 2016. The IPM-IL developed an effective, safe IPM based Tuta package with the agricultural research system. Maya is checking a Wota-T trap to monitor for Tuta moths and uses safe bio-pesticides (Neem and BT) to control outbreaks. Maya also demonstrated a bamboo net house to grow tomatoes designed by the IPM-IL to exclude Tuta. In the last year, Maya earned over $8,000, including $1,800 from tomatoes using the IPM technologies. Maya uses many IPM-IL verified technologies including Trichoderma, pheromone traps, bio-pesticides, coco peat clean medium for nurseries, drip (for resilience), insect netting, and more. The IPM-IL is working with USAID Nepal FTF projects, the private sector, and the government’s agricultural research and extension system to scale adoption of IPM based crop packages to cope with climate impacts.

Maya Rana is a small farmer in B-Gaun, Banke district, trained to utilize safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) developed by the USAID IPM Innovation Lab (IPM-IL, 2015-21), led by Virginia Tech and iDE managed in Nepal. Climate change has made disease and pest problems worse. Nepal has been impacted by invasive pests including the Tuta Absoluta and Fall Armyworm. Tuta is a devastating tomato pest that arrived in Nepal in 2016. The IPM-IL developed an effective, safe IPM based Tuta package with the agricultural research system. Maya is checking a Wota-T trap to monitor for Tuta moths and uses safe bio-pesticides (Neem and BT) to control outbreaks. Maya also demonstrated a bamboo net house to grow tomatoes designed by the IPM-IL to exclude Tuta. In the last year, Maya earned over $8,000, including $1,800 from tomatoes using the IPM technologies. Maya uses many IPM-IL verified technologies including Trichoderma, pheromone traps, bio-pesticides, coco peat clean medium for nurseries, drip (for resilience), insect netting, and more. The IPM-IL is working with USAID Nepal FTF projects, the private sector, and the government’s agricultural research and extension system to scale adoption of IPM based crop packages to cope with climate impacts.

Kalasha Rawal is from Sisnari, Surkhet District; she depends on her small farm and community forest. Climate change has made drought and pests worse in Sisnari causing outmigration. Kalasha belongs to a Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by iDE through the Anukulan project (2015-19), funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families for domestic needs and agriculture from a spring source in the community forest. MUS provides environmental services, and user fees pay a manager to run the system and protect the water source with fencing, plantings, and a recharge pond. Kalasha uses drip, a bamboo greenhouse, and safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) including yellow sticky traps purchased from a last mile agent trained by Anukulan. The IPM was developed by the USAID IPM Innovation Lab (2016-21). Kalasha, who is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, produced vegetables using MUS water to improve family nutrition and earn $700/year. These earnings enabled her husband to return from India to work with Kalasha and be with their daughter. iDE Nepal developed over 500 MUS for 80,000 people. iDE works with the government to integrate MUS in adaptation plans shifting farmers from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation.

Kalasha Rawal is from Sisnari, Surkhet District; she depends on her small farm and community forest. Climate change has made drought and pests worse in Sisnari causing outmigration. Kalasha belongs to a Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by iDE through the Anukulan project (2015-19), funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families for domestic needs and agriculture from a spring source in the community forest. MUS provide environmental services, user fees pay a manager to run the system and protect the water source with fencing, plantings, and a recharge pond. Kalasha uses drip, a bamboo greenhouse, and safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) including yellow sticky traps purchased from a last mile agent trained by Anukulan. The IPM was developed by the USAID IPM Innovation Lab (2016-21). Kalasha, who is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, produced vegetables using MUS water to improve family nutrition while earning $700/year. These earnings enabled her husband to return from India to work with Kalasha and be with their daughter. iDE Nepal developed over 500 MUS for 80,000 people. iDE works with the government to integrate MUS in adaptation plans shifting farmers from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation.

Pabitra Sharma is a Community Business Facilitator (CBF) and Plant Doctor in B-Gaun, Banke District Nepal. As a CBF, Pabitra earns a commission on agro sales, including safe bio-products for plant protection and providing training to 585 smallholder customers (mainly women). Climate change is making pest and disease problems worse. Pabitra was trained by the USAID Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovation Lab (IPM-IL, 2015-19), led globally by Virginia Tech and in Nepal by iDE. Pabitra markets IPM technologies developed by IPM-IL working with government. Pabitra earns $1,400/year and her 585 customers earn on average $430/year selling vegetables, in aggregate over $208,000/year, greatly benefiting the community. The IPM-IL in partnership with the global CABI Plantwise program trained Pabitra and 43 other CBFs to become Plant Doctors. Plant Doctors receive intensive training, have access to online databases, and are backstopped by Nepal’s plant protection services. Pabitra as a Plant Doctor conducts regular Plant Clinics in her community diagnosing samples. In this photo, Pabitra is observing a customer’s pheromone funnel trap with Spodo-lure for the tobacco caterpillar that attacks tomatoes. There is also a bamboo net house designed by IPM-IL to exclude the invasive Tuta Absoluta Tomato pest and other insect pests.

Kamala Magar, a farmer from the disadvantaged indigenous Magar ethnic group in Nepal, is a user of the Saripakha Multiple Use Water System (MUS). The MUS provides piped water from a spring source to 20 families for domestic use and vegetable production. The new system saves several hours of labor a day for women and girls who are traditionally tasked with carrying water. The MUS community management plan includes planting trees and building fences to protect the area around the spring. The new trees stock carbon, while piped water reduces the need to burn wood to purify water, thus reducing greenhouse gases. Montview Church, an organization in Denver, Colorado, supported this MUS and iDE—with support from USAID, DFID, the EU, and others—has developed 500 MUS in Nepal, serving 80,000 people.

The Dhapreni Solar lift Multiple Use Water System (MUS) was developed by the iDE led, Anukulan project (2015-19) funded by the UKAID BRACED climate program in Dhapreni in the Kailali District hills. The Dhapreni MUS provides water to 24 disadvantaged families (101 people) for domestic use, vegetable production, and to irrigate orange trees from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. Dhapreni is a solar system (1.5 Kwp) lifting water 112m. The photo shows the drinking water and overflow irrigation tanks. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. The community has installed a fence and protects the community forest. The community depends on orange production, in recent year’s drought has damaged orange production, the Solar MUS enables irrigation to cope with climate change. The MUS also enables the villagers to improve nutrition and income from vegetables, collect fodder and wood from the protected community forest, saves hours for women and girls from carrying water. (Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito)

Kamala Magar is a poor farmer from Saripakha, Kaski District who depends on her small farm and community forest. Kalasha belongs to the Saripakha Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by the iDE with support from Montview Church, Denver USA. The Saripakha MUS provides piped water to 20 disadvantaged families for domestic use and vegetable production from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a MUS manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. The community has installed a fence and planted additional trees to protect the water source. Kamala is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, she produced vegetables using MUS water improving family nutrition, earning over $300/year, and collects fodder and wood from the community forest. The MUS also saves hours every day for primarily women and girls from carrying water. iDE with support from USAID, DFID, the EU, and others has developed 500 MUS serving 80,000 people; MUS enable farmers to cope with climate change by shifting from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation. Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito.

Kalasha Rawal is a poor farmer from Sisnari, Surkhet District who depends on her small farm and community forest. Kalasha belongs to the Sisnari Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by the iDE led, Anukulan project (2015-19) funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The Sisneri MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families (81 people) for domestic use and vegetable production from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a MUS manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. A fence was installed to protect the community forest and the source. The community planted additional trees, dug a recharge pond, and banned grazing livestock. Kalasha is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, she produced vegetables using MUS water improving family nutrition, earning over $700/year, and collects fodder and wood from the community forest. The earnings allowed her husband to return from India to work on the farm and be with Kalasha and their children. Anukulan developed 200 MUS for 20,000 people. MUS enable farmers to cope with climate change by shifting from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation. (Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito)

Kalasha Rawal is a poor farmer from Sisnari, Surkhet District who depends on her small farm and community forest. Kalasha belongs to the Sisnari Multiple Use Water System (MUS) developed by the iDE led, Anukulan project (2015-19) funded by the UKAID BRACED Climate program. The Sisneri MUS provides water to 20 disadvantaged families (81 people) for domestic use and vegetable production from a spring source located in the village’s community forest. The approach embeds environmental services with water fees paying a MUS manager to maintain the system and protect the community forest water source. A fence was installed to protect the community forest and the source. The community planted additional trees, dug a recharge pond, and banned grazing livestock. Kalasha is from a disadvantaged ethnic group, she produced vegetables using MUS water improving family nutrition, earning over $700/year, and collects fodder and wood from the community forest. The earnings allowed her husband to return from India to work on the farm and be with Kalasha and their children. Anukulan developed 200 MUS for 20,000 people. MUS enable farmers to cope with climate change by shifting from risky rainfed agriculture to piped irrigation. (Photo by iDE Volunteer, Bimala Rai Colavito)

The debate and justification in climate change is going on for years but now they are visible on the ground. This is the picture of a village in Humla District, where the community is facing changed patterns of precipitation and adapting to changes by changing the roof type. This community used to have flat mud roofs that are now turned into tin roofs to combat changing precipitation patterns. Picture location: Humla District, Nepal, 2018 USAID supported program: Paani/DAI

Climate change is imposing stress on water availability in mountain localities in Nepal. Marginalized households with limited land holding are getting more vulnerable due to climate change and its impact on water availability. So men are migrating in search of alternative livelihood options while women are also coming upfront in professions that were previously considered only for men. This is helping then to earn bread from their family and to be empowered in a sense while adapting to change.
Activity Depicted : Woman involved in gravel extraction
Picture Location: Humla District Nepal, 2018
USAID supported program: Paani/DAI

The photo shows a tap stand from the Majhigaun Sisnari Multiple Use Water System (MUS) in Sisneri Surkhet District. MUS are designed to provide water for domestic and agricultural use, helping community’s cope with climate change caused erratic rainfall and drought. This MUS was facilitated by the The Anukulan Project (2015-19) implemented by iDE, supported by UKAID’s flagship global BRACED climate program. The MUS serves 20 families (81 people), the cash cost was $3,000 ($150/HH) 60% was from local government through a climate adaptation fund and 40% by Anukulan. The community also provided $4,200 in labor and local materials. The MUS has increased average household income from agriculture by $328/year, improved nutrition, improved sanitation/hygiene enabling families to use latrines. It has also greatly reduced the time women and girls need to carry water, more than compensating for the time needed to grow crops and enabling girls time to attend school. Kalasha Rawal (far left) from a disadvantaged group increased her income by $700/year. Before the MUS she produced only enough food for 3-4 months. Now Kalasha’s husband has returned from working in India to help producing vegetables and taking care of their young daughter. Photo by Bimala Rai Colavito, iDE Volunteer, February 2, 2018.

Kalasha Rawal is a poor small farmer from the Sisnari, Surkhet District. The farm provides enough cereals for 3-4 months a year, forcing Kalasha’s husband to leave the village to work in India. The Anukulan Project (2015-19), implemented by iDE, is supported by UKAID’s flagship BRACED climate program. The project helped Kalasha to improve her family’s nutrition, food security, income, and resilience. Using the Commercial Pocket Approach (CPA), Anukulan developed a collection center for market access and services and last-mile Community Business Facilitators (CBFs), plant doctors marketing climate-smart agricultural technologies. Through the local adaptation plan, Anukulan facilitated a Multiple Use Water System (MUS) designed to provide sufficient water for domestic and agricultural use, helping the community cope with climate change caused by erratic rainfall and drought. The photo shows Kalasha growing vegetables using climate-smart agriculture technologies, including drip irrigation to conserve water, a safe yellow sticky trap protecting from increased pest problems caused by climate change, and a tunnel. Kalasha was able to increase her annual income by $700, enabling her husband to return to Nepal. They now work together growing vegetables and raising their daughter. Photo by Bimala Rai Colavito, iDE Volunteer, February 3, 2018.

A young woman from Dailekh, Nepal is on her way to collect drinking water from a spring near her village in June 2019. Although there are communal water taps in the village, villagers prefer getting drinking water from a source spring because the tank water that runs through the taps is not cool enough. So, everyday she walks to the spring, fills up her bottles and carries the water back to her home. Such springs are a major source of drinking water in Nepal, however, climate change is threatening villagers livelihoods by drying them out. This is seriously affecting communities dependent on springs for drinking water throughout the most vulnerable regions in Nepal. IWMI’s work to provide solutions to this growing issue is conducted with the DFAT Water for Women fund.

Ganesh Rokaya (Left) and Deepa Poudel (Right) are Community Business Facilitators (CBFs) and Plant Doctors in Surkhet District Nepal. Together they are conducting a Plant Clinic diagnosing samples to recommend safe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) bio solutions for disease and pest problems that are made worse by climate change. CBFs earn commissions on agro sales and provide training to smallholder customers. Ganesh and Deepa each earn about $1,100/year working part time as CBFs, providing services respectively to 750 and 800 mainly women smallholder customers respectively. On average they help their customers earn over $450/year selling vegetables. Ganesh and Deepa were trained to be CBFs by the USAID IPM Innovation Lab (IPM-IL, 2015-19) led Globally by Virginia Tech and in Nepal by partner iDE. They use IPM-based recommendations developed by the IPM-IL working with Government. The IPM-IL in partnership with the global CABI Plant Wise program trained 44 CBFs to become Plant Doctors. Plant Doctors receive intensive training, have access to online databases, and are backstopped by Nepal’s plant protection services. Ganesh and Deepa have extended safe technologies to successfully control the devastating exotic Tuta Absoluta Tomato pest that arrived in 2016. (Photo by Bimala Rai Colavito, iDE Volunteer, 12/31/18)