1 Climate change impact on crop production in Nepal: Role of 2 energy in climate change 3 4 Tulsi Ram Bhual1, Sutinee Sinutok1, Saroj Gyawali2 5 6 1 Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90112,Thailand 7 2 Sustainable Study and Research Institute, Kathmandu 16, Nepal 8 9 Abstract 10 11 Climate change is raising a problem globally and Nepal is a most vulnerable country. In Nepal, 12 approximately 80 per cent of population lives in rural areas and their main source of income is 13 agriculture. Crop production in Nepal is highly depends on monsoonal rainfall due to which 14 climate is a major factor. Use high volume of fossil fuels and other nonrenewable energies during 15 this world development process and fulfillment of the minimum daily requirement of every single 16 person is responsible for GHGs (Greenhouse Gases) emission in this globe. IPCC (The 17 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) declared that the Nepal is not responsible for high 18 rate of emission even though it has been facing the problem of climate change in agriculture and 19 tourism sectors. Direct and indirect impact of climate change on crop production is a serious 20 challenge for Nepali farmers however, the government of Nepal and other nongovernment 21 organizations are aware with such problem and they seems finding the best possible solutions for 22 address them. This paper reviews the causes, effects and solutions of climate change on crop 23 production in Nepal. The main concern of this review study is to find out the present and 24 potential impact of climate change on crop production and use of energy as a climate change 25 solutions. 26 27 Keywords: Nepal, Agriculture, Crop Production, Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases. 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Tulsi Ram Bhusal, Tel: +9779857063446 37 E-mail address: [email protected] / [email protected] 1 38 INTRODUCTION 39 40 Nepal is a highly vulnerable to climate change amongst the south Asian countries and it comes 41 fourth most vulnerable in the world (Sapkota et al. 2016). Direct impact of climate change have 42 been seen in Nepal because of majority of people are depend on natural resources such as 43 agriculture for their livelihood (Thapa et al. 2015). Crop production is a foremost climate 44 sensitive sector (Kiprutto et al. 2015). Therefore, Climate is an important factor for both 45 quantity (high yield) and quality (healthy) of production (Agba et al. 2017). Thapa et al (2015) 46 further revealed that around 50 per cent of Nepal GDP is from environmental income i.e. 47 agriculture, forestry and fishery. More than 60 per cent of the cultivated area in Nepal is entirely 48 reliant on monsoonal rainfall (CBS 2018). Irrigation system in Nepal is not fully equipped in 49 most of the land even though several plans are on its constructing way (MOE, Water resources 50 and Irrigation-reports white paper 2020). 51 52 Climate, agriculture and energy are the three different terms. However, these are the co-related 53 each other in nature and changes in any among them can impact on others directly (FAO 2019). 54 Agriculture production process like tillage, burning agriculture residue in the farm, using high 55 volume of chemical fertilizers and some machinery tools specially operated by fossil fuels (oil, 56 coal and gas) are responsible for greenhouse gases emissions in environment which in turn leads 57 to climate change (Kiprutto et al. 2015). Climate change may negatively impacts on crop 58 production because of agriculture sector is a most climate sensitive. From seed sowing until 59 harvesting, the climatic condition plays a vital role. Crop plants are required a favourable 60 temperature, moisture, and air to accomplish physiological activities and for absorption of water 61 and nutrients from soil (ALJWWFSL 2018). Plant can complete the photosynthesis process only 62 in the presence of sunlight. Photosynthesis process in plant is the formation of carbohydrate from 63 carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll and sunlight (Pandey et al. 2002). Thus, 64 sunny days during the flowering and grain feeling stage of plant is very important for better 65 production (Allen 2008), if not so, the crop production rate may decrease and decreasing the 66 production is a challenge for food security and supply globally (Islam et al. 2019). 67 68 Energy is required to fulfil all the basic needs (cooking, lighting, heating, communication and 69 mobility) of human being. Around 80 per cent of current energy consumption for global 70 economics is from fossil fuels and utilization of this much fossil fuels are responsible for up to 71 56.6 per cent of all GHGs ((Green House Gases) emissions (Moomaw et al. 2012). If the 72 consumption ratio of fossil fuels instead of renewable energy continues to increase at this rate, 73 climate change will continue to have a more negative impact; as a result the natural disasters i.e. 74 long drought conditions, erratic rainfall, flooding, landslides, soil erosion, increasing some 2 75 infectious diseases, harmful insects and unwanted weeds in agriculture firm may also increase at 76 the same rate. 77 78 The objectives of this review paper are review the previous studies conducted by various 79 researchers in climate change and its impact on crop production in Nepal and find out possible 80 area for further research. 81 82 CLIMATE AND FACTORS EFFECTING CLIMATE CHANGE 83 84 Climate is historically define as the description in terms of imply and variability of applicable 85 atmospheric variable such as temperature, precipitation and wind. Climate can for this reason be 86 viewed as a synthesis or aggregate of weather (Goosse et al. 2010). 87 88 There are several reasons responsible for climate change. Among them, increasing the 89 concentration of greenhouse gases like CO2, N2O and CH4 in our atmosphere are mostly 90 contribute to climate variability (Sodangi et al. 2012). Basically, GHGs are trapped the sun’s 91 heat in earth surface which in turn lead to change the climate. Increasing GHGs in our 92 environment is associated with some economic activities operated by fossil fuels such as; 93 transportation, production companies and some agricultural activities including tillage, crop 94 rotation and deforestation itself also emission GHGs in atmosphere and its account for 95 approximately one-third of total global emissions (World Research Institute 2008). N2O and 96 CH4 are primarily largest emission as a non CO2 in agriculture sector. While high volume of 97 CO2 fluxes also generate due to photosynthesis and respiration, these are about adjusted on 98 existing agrarian land. Land conversion for different purpose such as deforestation for crop 99 cultivation and building of shelter, some manufacturing activities for farming equipments, use of 100 fuels for farming, use high volume of chemical fertilizers and insecticides are significantly 101 release the carbon. Hence, emanation from agribusiness comes from four vital segments: 102 agricultural soil, livestock and bio fertilizers management, crop cultivation such as rice 103 production and burning of agrarian buildups and savanna for arrive clearing. 104 105 Nitrous oxide (N2O) is the biggest source of GHG emission from agricultural activities and 106 account for up to 38 per cent of the add up to worldwide share (Rosenzweig et al. 1995). N2O is 107 created normally in soil through the method of nitrification and denitrification. Activities in 108 farming may include nitrogen to the soil either specially or in a roundabout way. Coordinate 109 increase happen through use of nitrogenous fertilizers in farm, application of overseen animal 110 manner and sewage slime, cultivation of nitrogen fixing crops and scrounges, maintenance of edit 111 buildups and development of soil with high natural matter substance. Indirect additions happen 3 112 through volatilization and consequently air testimony of connected nitrogen as well as through 113 surface run off and filtering of connected nitrogen into ground and surface water (USEPA 2006). 114 These processes have possibilities to increase of N2O emission and contribute to climate change. 115 116 Figure 1: 117 118 Some animals specially cattle and sheep produce methane gas during their naturally food 119 digestive system account for the majority of methane generation in this category and it is the 120 moment largest (second) sources of total emission of CH4 from livestock with a 34 per cent 121 worldwide share (Mark et al. 2008). Furthermore, green manure management which 122 incorporates the taking care of, capacity and treatment of excrement of agrarian emanation. 123 Methane gas is produced during the anaerobic breakdown of green manure whereas nitrous oxide 124 comes about from dealing with manure vigorously (nitrification and after that an-aerobically 125 (denitrification) in this way contribution to the worldwide buildup of CH4 and N2O. 126 127 CLIMATIC VARIATION IN NEPAL 128 129 According to Nayava (1974), the seasons in Nepal has been categorized in to four parts: 130 Winter Season (December to February): In Nepal, winter season is start from December and 131 finish in February. Normally, during this season, weather condition becomes dry and cold with 132 sunny in hilly areas but seems gloomy around some terai reason. During this season, slightly rain 133 does happen in most of the part in the country in association with the western disturbance which 134 have their beginning within the Mediterranean. The winter rain, most noteworthy within the 135 northwest local diminishes in sum in both southward and eastbound heading. At higher height 136 rain falls as snow. Morning haze and ice are common in valleys and uneven zones. The least 137 temperature comes to either in December or January (NHMRCC 2015).