Back to news
9 Dec 2016 | News

Communities Develop Demonstrable Agroforestry Systems with Poulownia Plantation in Sushare Gaun, Gorkha, Nepal

2 mins Read

70% Complete

Agroforestry is practiced in both tropical and temperate regions where it produces food, fiber and biomass energy, contributes to food and nutrition security, sustains livelihoods, contributes to reduction in poverty and promotes productive and resilient cropping and grassland environments. Agroforestry systems may also enhance biodiversity and water quality and control soil erosion. In addition, when strategically applied on a large scale, agroforestry enables agricultural lands to withstand weather events, such as floods and drought, and climate change. It is an essential element of the green and sustainable economy, in rural, urban and peri-urban environments.

With this understanding, ICIMOD’s REDD+ Initiative introduced paulownia plantation in three pilot districts of REDD programme namely Gorkha, Dolakha, and Chitwan. This will not only sequester carbon but simultaneously make available timber from agriculture land and reduce the pressure on natural forest, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation as well. After receiving great enthusiasm in testing a new agroforestry system as demonstration to farmers, a total of 2000 Paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) were distributed to four sites of Gorkha district namely Ghale Danda, Sushare Gaun, Kattel Danda, and Biren Chowk in June 2015 and continuous monitoring of the sites was carried out. Beside Kattel Danda, survival and growth of planted saplings on three other sites was satisfactory. The prolonged dry spell might be one of the reasons for loss of planted Paulownia at the Kattel Danda site. The present measurement and monitoring of Paulownia was carried out on Sushare and Birenchowk sites. In addition, saplings of Ghale danda are surviving but with minimal growth rate as compared to other two sites. The average height of the Paulownia was found to be 1.6 m and 2.02 m in Sushare and Birenchowk respectively. Similarly, average DBH was found to be 0.11 cm and 0.12cm in Sushare and Birenchowk respectively. The highest tree that was observed had the height of 4.8m in Sushare Gaun. The survival rate of the saplings was 62% in Sushare Gaun and 20% in Birenchowk. Now, the next survey should come up with the silvicultural interventions necessary in plantations which depends foremost on the main production objective (e.g., conservation, fuelwood, fibre, or sawlog production).

ICIMOD staff carry out the monitoring and measurement of Paulownia tree planted post-earthquake in 2015.
(Nabin Bhattarai/ICIMOD)

Communities developed demonstrable agroforestry systems in their farm land and also reforested degraded lands in community forest. It is a great achievement that this activity has fostered a deeper bonding between communities of the REDD+ sites and ICIMOD and partners. Even the earthquake affected villages saw this as a great opportunity for rebuilding their farmlands. Agroforestry is fast becoming recognised as a land use system which is capable of yielding both wood and income while at the same time conserving and rehabilitating ecosystems, and contributing equally to soil improvement and conservation.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related Content

Continue exploring this topic

10 Feb 2015 News
Myanmar to lead the way with ecotourism in protected areas

On 19–21 May 2015, the Government of Myanmar launched its ambitious Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy for Protected Areas, developed ...

1 Jun 2018 KDKH
Knowledge hub proposed for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Koshi basin

As part of a wider effort between Nepal, India, and China to strengthen disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Koshi ...

1 Jul 2016 Himalica
Myanmar Villagers Learn to Make Bio-briquettes

To address rural energy problems, twenty seven villagers from Kyang Taung, Kyang Nur, Pantin, Thyetpin, Antpet and Zeyar, Myanmar were ...

Lemon farming introduced at International Biodiversity Day Bahundangi, Jhapa

Students, teachers and the local community celebrated International Biodiversity Day 2016 at Mechi Janasadharan Higher Secondary School, Bahundangi, Jhapa on ...

8 Sep 2015 News
Help 4 earthquake affected villages in Kavre, Nepal, secure €10,000

Vote for ICIMOD's entry for Best Climate Practices Award ICIMOD and CEAPRED’s Climate Smart Villages, a pilot across four villages in Kavrepalanchowk in ...

24 Aug 2018 News
Highlighting Need for Sustainable Tourism at Global Adventure and Mountaineering Expo

Molden’s talk was titled Climate+Change and Sustainable Tourism: A regional cooperation perspective in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region. Its key ...

25 May 2015 News
ICIMOD to lead SAARC CCI’s climate-related activities

Participants from ICIMOD attended the 62nd Executive Committee and 20th General Assembly of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Chamber ...

18 Dec 2015 HKPL
Regional consultation on Karakoram-Pamir-Wakhan Landscape Initiative

A regional consultation workshop on programme development for Karakoram-Pamir-Wakhan Landscape Initiative jointly organised by the Wakhan Corridor Initiative and the ...