ADB_book_18 April.qxp - Himalayan Document Centre - icimod

Chapter 2Rural Environment, Poverty,and LivelihoodIntroductionenvironment” refers to humansettlements in rural settings, their“Ruralsurroundings, and their interrelationships.It includes both natural and human-made or culturalenvironments. The natural environment compriseswater, air, soil, forests, pasture, wildlife, and so on,while the cultural environment includes settlementsand their patterns, transportation, technology,utilities, services and others. In Nepal, the Ministry ofLocal Development defines rural and urbanlocalities. Population size is the principal criterion forthis designation, but the threshold size of populationhas changed since the census year of 1952/1954 1 . Thepresent threshold population size for designatingmunicipalities was set in 1996 at 20,000 for the Teraiand 10,000 for the Hill and Mountain regions. Allsettlements with populations below these figures aredefined as rural localities.Rural environments in Nepal vary considerablywith variations in altitude. Over the country,elevations range from 90 to 8,848 meters above sealevel (masl). For socio-economic purposes, the 75administrative districts are identified as belonging toone of three regions: the Terai (the mostly low lyingarea along the southern border), Hills, andMountains. These regions have significantdifferences in topography, natural endowments,economic activities, and human occupancy withcorresponding implications for biodiversity anddevelopment activities.Rapid population growth, increasing density ofsettlements, degradation of land, loss of biodiversity,shortage of water, and changing weather events haveaffected food, health, incomes, and theenvironmental security of rural people. Livelihoods inrural areas, particularly in the hills and mountains,have been supported by a complex web of dynamicinteractions among the physical, cultural, andeconomic environments. A disruption in any oneFigure 2.1: People and Conservation ImprovingLivelihood and EcosystemsWellbeing of peopleFood, shelter,education, healthincome, spirituality,security, voice,dignity, equityAbility to use assetsCapacity to adaptResistance tovulnerabilitySource: IUCN Nepal (2002)component can disturb the delicate balance andthreaten the livelihood security of rural households.Neither nature nor the cultural environment is astatic entity—they change continually. However, thepresent rapid pace of change is very disruptive inrural areas. In areas with improved access,traditional farming systems are quickly movingtowards commercial farming, based more and moreon external market factors. Where access is poor anddifficult and resource degradation has continued,livelihood conditions have actually worsened.This chapter discusses population growth,settlements, services, and poverty and livelihood inthe context of rural Nepal.Rural PopulationArea of OverlapPeople’s actionimpacting onecosystemsEcosystems’ impacton peopleEcosystem ConditionEcosystem dynamicsProvision ofecological goods andservicesProtection of diversityResilience to change(e.g. climate)Growth and DistributionNepal is a rural nation, with over 86% of its 23 millionpeople living in rural areas (as of 2001, Table 2.1).The rural population is one of the fundamentaldriving forces influencing the environmentalresource base of the country. During the last fivedecades (1952–2001), both the total population and1Two Nepali years, approximately mid April 1952 to mid April 1954Chapter 2: Rural Environment, Poverty, and Livelihood5