Indigenous Strategies for Climate Change: Reflections and Review from Langtang National Park and Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal

Indigenous adaptation strategies practiced by local communities, in response to changing climate, are worth to analyze since they are inseparable to local culture and complement in subsidizing CO₂ emissions. Local communities have long been adopting several indigenous strategies such as planting medicinal and other useful trees (one of the most important component of NTFPs) in homestead areas and better protection for cropping in order to better adapt and cope to the changes. Livelihood diversification (subsistence agriculture to commercial farming and eco-tourism), crop substitution (seeking new crops and varieties), off-farm employment (tourist guide and porters), etc. are other adaptation strategies successfully implemented by the local communities; however the extent and nature of strategies vary in sites. Off-farm strategies are dominant among the indigenous communities in Langtang National Park. Lack of scientific research and technological development are the limiting factor for mid and long term climate change adaptation planning.

Keywords: Climate change, NTFPs, Langtang National Park, Off-farm employment, Indigenous adaptation strategies.