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The Two-dimensional Model of Ecological Values (2-MEV), developed and verified in Western Europe, successfully explores the environmental values and attitudes of the children (11−16 years old) using questionnaires/items. However, the reliability of the 2-MEV Scale and its bi-dimensionality in a non-industrialised country, such as Nepal, is unexplored. Nepal lies within the monsoon region, which triggers extreme environmental crises such as floods. As environmental values and attitudes are related to pro-environmental/adaptive behaviour, this study analyses not only the values and attitudes of children but also the validity of the 2-MEV Scale in a different geographic and socioeconomic setting. Therefore, the items of the 2-MEV Scale were modified, translated, and validated in two rounds with 200 and 201 children. Results were examined using principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. The findings validated the two constructs of environmental values (Preservation and Utilisation) with a correlation of −0.93, but the attitude’s pattern varied from that found in industrialised countries. Finally, the rural Nepalese version of the 2-MEV was used to measure environmental values. Most children (78.62% from n = 379) show an inclination towards Preservation, 0.26% towards Utilisation, 20.05% towards both values partially, and 1.05% were neutral. In general, the children held pro-environmental values and attitudes.
Shakil Regmi; Bruce Johnson; Bed Mani Dahal. Analysing the Environmental Values and Attitudes of Rural Nepalese Children by Validating the 2-MEV Model. Sustainability 2019, 12, 164 .
AMA StyleShakil Regmi, Bruce Johnson, Bed Mani Dahal. Analysing the Environmental Values and Attitudes of Rural Nepalese Children by Validating the 2-MEV Model. Sustainability. 2019; 12 (1):164.
Chicago/Turabian StyleShakil Regmi; Bruce Johnson; Bed Mani Dahal. 2019. "Analysing the Environmental Values and Attitudes of Rural Nepalese Children by Validating the 2-MEV Model." Sustainability 12, no. 1: 164.
Climate change impacts are likely to affect the agricultural production leading to further food insecurity. In this context, the trend of cereal production with climate variables was studied in order to understand the linkages between climate change and crop productivity. The study was conducted in three districts of Sagarmatha zone, namely Solukhumbu (mountain region), Okhaldhunga (hill region) and Saptari (Terai region) representing three ecological zones in Nepal. A household survey (295 households), focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to collect data on the history of the cultivation systems, varieties of crop grown, trends on crop yield, and adaptation to climate change. Results showed farmers’ introduction of high yielding varieties of crops and vegetables due to economic benefit, while traditional varieties are no longer cultivated. The infestation of pest attack is increasingly seen since two decades, while few pests were reported to be disappeared. Although majority of farmers in Saptari and Okhaldhunga districts used pesticides as per the prescribed doses, pesticide use is still random in Solukhumbu district. The multiple comparisons of means showed that there is a significant difference in the average production of rice and maize since 30 years until recently (p<0.05) in these three districts. The average production of rice, maize and wheat increased with decreasing average annual temperature and rainfall in Saptari district since 30 years. In contrast, in Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu districts, the average production of three cereal crops increased with increasing average annual temperature and rainfall. With the late arrival of the monsoon, farmers have adopted coping strategies particularly for rice cultivation through occasional shift in crop planting dates and selection of shorter duration crop varieties that can be harvested early.
Bed Mani Dahal; Nani Raut; Smriti Gurung; Chhatra Mani Sharma; Rabindra Kayastha; Ahuti Shrestha; Bibhu Gautam. Changing Trends in Cultivation Practices and Adoption of Climate Adaptive Farming in Eastern Nepal. Sustainable Agriculture Research 2018, 7, 52 .
AMA StyleBed Mani Dahal, Nani Raut, Smriti Gurung, Chhatra Mani Sharma, Rabindra Kayastha, Ahuti Shrestha, Bibhu Gautam. Changing Trends in Cultivation Practices and Adoption of Climate Adaptive Farming in Eastern Nepal. Sustainable Agriculture Research. 2018; 7 (3):52.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBed Mani Dahal; Nani Raut; Smriti Gurung; Chhatra Mani Sharma; Rabindra Kayastha; Ahuti Shrestha; Bibhu Gautam. 2018. "Changing Trends in Cultivation Practices and Adoption of Climate Adaptive Farming in Eastern Nepal." Sustainable Agriculture Research 7, no. 3: 52.
A shift from cultivating cereal crops towards vegetables and other cash crops has evolved through the process of agricultural intensification in the hills of the Himalayan region. Agricultural intensification has attracted the attention of researchers in Nepalese agriculture due to its potential impacts on the environment and socio-economic status of farmers. Nevertheless, socio-economic drivers of agricultural intensification are as yet poorly studied in the Himalayan region. Farmers' perceptions of the effects of agricultural intensification on society and the environment are analysed in the Ansikhola watershed of Kavre district, Nepal. Before the onset of agricultural intensification, food sufficiency was the primary measure of the economic condition of farmers. However, in recent years agricultural income and profits have become key socio-economic measures. This study reveals that intensive agricultural practices shifted need-based cereal farming to market-oriented vegetable-based production systems, thereby improving socio-economic conditions for farmers. Positive changes in wealth and social status, migration from rural to urban areas, and shift in social division of labour are other important impacts.
Bed Mani Dahal; Ingrid Nyborg; Bishal Kumar Sitaula; Roshan Man Bajracharya. Agricultural intensification: food insecurity to income security in a mid-hill watershed of Nepal. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 2009, 7, 249 -260.
AMA StyleBed Mani Dahal, Ingrid Nyborg, Bishal Kumar Sitaula, Roshan Man Bajracharya. Agricultural intensification: food insecurity to income security in a mid-hill watershed of Nepal. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. 2009; 7 (4):249-260.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBed Mani Dahal; Ingrid Nyborg; Bishal Kumar Sitaula; Roshan Man Bajracharya. 2009. "Agricultural intensification: food insecurity to income security in a mid-hill watershed of Nepal." International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 7, no. 4: 249-260.
Inadequacy and poor quality of water supply for domestic purposes is increasingly becoming a concern in rural catchments of the Middle Mountains of Nepal. Water quantity is an issue in pocket areas of these catchments, while water quality is subject to concern in most of the water sources. Microbiological contamination in particular poses a risk to human health. In addition, sediment pollution during the monsoon season is perceived as an issue by the local residents. Elevated phosphate and nitrate levels in many water sources indicate intensive interaction with surface water hailing from agricultural areas and human settlements. These water quantity and quality concerns in two watersheds of Nepal, the Jhikhu Khola and the Yarsha Khola watersheds, are not isolated cases. Similar problems are reported from other watersheds monitored under the People and Resource Dynamics in Mountain Watersheds of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas (PARDYP) project in China, India, and Pakistan and the literature of this region.
Juerg Merz; Gopal Nakarmi; Smita Shrestha; Bed Mani Dahal; Bhawani S. Dongol; Monika Schaffner; Sangeeta Shakya; Subodh Sharma; Rolf Weingartner. Public Water Sources in Rural Watersheds of Nepal?s Middle Mountains: Issues and Constraints. Environmental Management 2004, 34, 26 -37.
AMA StyleJuerg Merz, Gopal Nakarmi, Smita Shrestha, Bed Mani Dahal, Bhawani S. Dongol, Monika Schaffner, Sangeeta Shakya, Subodh Sharma, Rolf Weingartner. Public Water Sources in Rural Watersheds of Nepal?s Middle Mountains: Issues and Constraints. Environmental Management. 2004; 34 (1):26-37.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuerg Merz; Gopal Nakarmi; Smita Shrestha; Bed Mani Dahal; Bhawani S. Dongol; Monika Schaffner; Sangeeta Shakya; Subodh Sharma; Rolf Weingartner. 2004. "Public Water Sources in Rural Watersheds of Nepal?s Middle Mountains: Issues and Constraints." Environmental Management 34, no. 1: 26-37.
1. Diatoms are recognised as indicators in temperate streams, but only recently have assessments begun of their value in indicating stream quality in the tropics and sub‐tropics. Here, we extend previous studies by assessing stream diatom assemblages in relation to water quality and habitat character in the Kathmandu Valley, and in the Middle Hills of Nepal and northern India. We also assessed whether the U.K. Trophic Diatom Index (TDI) was sufficiently portable to reveal pollution in Himalayan rivers. In the more urbanised and highly agricultural Kathmandu Valley, we compared diatom response to water quality classes indicated by a local invertebrate index, the Nepalese Biotic Score (NEPBIOS). 2. Thirty and 53 streams in the Kathmandu Valley (2000) and Middle Hills (1994–96), respectively, were sampled in October and November during stable flows following the monsoon. Diatoms were collected in riffles, water samples taken for chemical analysis, and habitat character of the stream channel, bank and catchment assessed using river habitat surveys. In the Kathmandu Valley, macroinvertebrates were collected by kick‐sampling. 3. In total, 113 diatom taxa were found in the Kathmandu Valley streams and 106 in the Middle Hills. Of 168 taxa recorded, 62 occurred only in the Kathmandu Valley, 56 only in the Middle Hills and 50 were common to both areas. Most taxa found only in the Kathmandu Valley belonged to the genus Navicula while most taxa confined to the Middle Hills were Achnanthes, Fragilaria and Gomphonema. 4. In the Kathmandu Valley, richness and diversity increased significantly with K, Cl, SO4 and NO3, but declined significantly with Al, Fe, surfactants and phenols. Richness here also varied with habitat structure, being lowest in fast flowing, shaded streams with coarse substrata in forested catchments. In all streams combined, richness increased significantly with Si, Na and PO4, but declined significantly with increasing pH, Ca and Mg. 5. Diatom assemblage composition in the Kathmandu Valley strongly reflected water chemistry as revealed by cations (K, Na, Mg, Ca), anions (Cl, SO4), nutrients (NO3, PO4, Si), and also substratum composition, flow character and catchment land use. The commonest taxa in base‐poor forested catchments were Achnanthes siamlinearis, A. subhudsonis, A. undata and an unidentified Gomphonema species; Cocconeis placentula and Navicula minima in agricultural catchments; and Mayamaea atomus var. alcimonica, M. atomus var. permitis, and Nitzschia palea at polluted sites near settlements. Diatom assemblages in none‐agricultural catchments of the Kathmandu Valley and Middle Hills were similar, but they contrasted strongly between urban or agricultural catchments of the Kathmandu Valley and the less intensively farmed catchments of the Middle Hills. 6. In keeping with variations in assemblage composition, most streams in the Kathmandu Valley had higher TDI values (33–87, median = 64) and more pollution tolerant taxa (0–78%, median = 16) than streams in the Middle Hills (25–82, median 45, 0–26%, median = 2). TDI values correlated significantly with measured PO4, Si, and Na concentrations in the Kathmandu Valley, and with Si and Na concentrations in the Middle Hills. There was some consistency between water quality classes revealed by NEPBIOS and diatoms, but also some contrast. Water quality class I–II sites had lower TDI values and were less species rich than water quality II sites, however, there were no significant differences in detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) assemblage scores and relative abundances of pollution tolerant taxa between NEPBIOS classes. 7. While diatoms in the Middle Hills indicate unpolluted or only mildly enriched conditions, they reveal pronounced eutrophication and organic pollution in the densely populated Kathmandu Valley. In addition, diatoms appear to respond to altered habitats in rural agricultural and urban areas. As demands on water resources in this region are likely to increase, we advocate the continued development of diatoms as indicators using methods based on what appear to be consistent responses in the TDI between Europe and the Himalaya.
Ingrid Jüttner; Subodh Sharma; Bed Mani Dahal; Stephen J Ormerod; P. James Chimonides; Eileen J. Cox. Diatoms as indicators of stream quality in the Kathmandu Valley and Middle Hills of Nepal and India. Freshwater Biology 2003, 48, 2065 -2084.
AMA StyleIngrid Jüttner, Subodh Sharma, Bed Mani Dahal, Stephen J Ormerod, P. James Chimonides, Eileen J. Cox. Diatoms as indicators of stream quality in the Kathmandu Valley and Middle Hills of Nepal and India. Freshwater Biology. 2003; 48 (11):2065-2084.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIngrid Jüttner; Subodh Sharma; Bed Mani Dahal; Stephen J Ormerod; P. James Chimonides; Eileen J. Cox. 2003. "Diatoms as indicators of stream quality in the Kathmandu Valley and Middle Hills of Nepal and India." Freshwater Biology 48, no. 11: 2065-2084.
J. Merz; G. Nakarmi; S. K. Shrestha; Bed Mani Dahal; P. M. Dangol; M. P. Dhakal; B. S. Dongol; S. Sharma; P. B. Shah; R. Weingärtner. Water: A Scarce Resource in Rural Watersheds of Nepal's Middle Mountains. Mountain Research and Development 2003, 23, 41 -49.
AMA StyleJ. Merz, G. Nakarmi, S. K. Shrestha, Bed Mani Dahal, P. M. Dangol, M. P. Dhakal, B. S. Dongol, S. Sharma, P. B. Shah, R. Weingärtner. Water: A Scarce Resource in Rural Watersheds of Nepal's Middle Mountains. Mountain Research and Development. 2003; 23 (1):41-49.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Merz; G. Nakarmi; S. K. Shrestha; Bed Mani Dahal; P. M. Dangol; M. P. Dhakal; B. S. Dongol; S. Sharma; P. B. Shah; R. Weingärtner. 2003. "Water: A Scarce Resource in Rural Watersheds of Nepal's Middle Mountains." Mountain Research and Development 23, no. 1: 41-49.