Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal
Experiences with a participatory seed improvement initiative as a strategy for combating food deficits in a remote community in eastern Nepal are outlined. On the basis of participatory methods of problem assessment, food deficits were attributed to several factors, such as limited arable land, poor...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Mountain Society (IMS) and United Nations University
2002
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42550 |
| _version_ | 1855528892330147840 |
|---|---|
| author | Gurung, Barun Gurung, Pabitra |
| author_browse | Gurung, Barun Gurung, Pabitra |
| author_facet | Gurung, Barun Gurung, Pabitra |
| author_sort | Gurung, Barun |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Experiences with a participatory seed improvement initiative as a strategy for combating food deficits in a remote community in eastern Nepal are outlined. On the basis of participatory methods of problem assessment, food deficits were attributed to several factors, such as limited arable land, poor soils, and lack of access to improved seeds and other agricultural services arising partly from the lowland and gender biases of national planners. Additionally, an increase in the number of households headed by women and the greater agricultural burden placed on women as a result of male out-migration have contributed to the problem of food deficits.
During times of scarcity, women's preferences for nutritional value and easy postharvest preparation are subsumed by the more immediate need for higher yields. Most of the crop varieties preferred by women are land races; hence, it is proposed that these crop varieties become the focus of future crop improvement initiatives to sustain crop diversity while addressing the needs of women.
A strategy to develop capacity among women and men engaged in farming through a local community development organization was devised in consultation with the community, on the basis of criteria for participation by innovators and in recognition of gender-differentiated knowledge and the respective roles of women and men. The outcomes of the initiative were the development of a seed bank and plans for more advanced technical training to enhance local breeding practices, with an awareness of the gendered aspects of crop selection. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace42550 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2002 |
| publishDateRange | 2002 |
| publishDateSort | 2002 |
| publisher | International Mountain Society (IMS) and United Nations University |
| publisherStr | International Mountain Society (IMS) and United Nations University |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace425502025-03-11T09:50:20Z Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal Gurung, Barun Gurung, Pabitra gender seed food security famine role of women nepal semillas seguridad alimentaria papel de la mujer escasez de alimentos Experiences with a participatory seed improvement initiative as a strategy for combating food deficits in a remote community in eastern Nepal are outlined. On the basis of participatory methods of problem assessment, food deficits were attributed to several factors, such as limited arable land, poor soils, and lack of access to improved seeds and other agricultural services arising partly from the lowland and gender biases of national planners. Additionally, an increase in the number of households headed by women and the greater agricultural burden placed on women as a result of male out-migration have contributed to the problem of food deficits. During times of scarcity, women's preferences for nutritional value and easy postharvest preparation are subsumed by the more immediate need for higher yields. Most of the crop varieties preferred by women are land races; hence, it is proposed that these crop varieties become the focus of future crop improvement initiatives to sustain crop diversity while addressing the needs of women. A strategy to develop capacity among women and men engaged in farming through a local community development organization was devised in consultation with the community, on the basis of criteria for participation by innovators and in recognition of gender-differentiated knowledge and the respective roles of women and men. The outcomes of the initiative were the development of a seed bank and plans for more advanced technical training to enhance local breeding practices, with an awareness of the gendered aspects of crop selection. 2002-08 2014-09-24T07:58:11Z 2014-09-24T07:58:11Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42550 en Open Access International Mountain Society (IMS) and United Nations University Barun Gurung and Prem Gurung. Addressing Food Scarcity in Marginalized Mountain Environments. Mountain Research and Development 2002 22 (3), 240-247 |
| spellingShingle | gender seed food security famine role of women nepal semillas seguridad alimentaria papel de la mujer escasez de alimentos Gurung, Barun Gurung, Pabitra Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title | Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title_full | Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title_short | Addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments: A participatory seed management initiative with women and men in Eastern Nepal |
| title_sort | addressing food scarcity in marginalized mountain environments a participatory seed management initiative with women and men in eastern nepal |
| topic | gender seed food security famine role of women nepal semillas seguridad alimentaria papel de la mujer escasez de alimentos |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42550 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gurungbarun addressingfoodscarcityinmarginalizedmountainenvironmentsaparticipatoryseedmanagementinitiativewithwomenandmenineasternnepal AT gurungpabitra addressingfoodscarcityinmarginalizedmountainenvironmentsaparticipatoryseedmanagementinitiativewithwomenandmenineasternnepal |