Influence of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice varietal diversity management on-farm in Nepal

• Published in: Agriculture and human values 2007, Vol.24 (4), p.461-472
• Main Authors: Rana, Ram Bahadur, Garforth, Chris, Sthapit, Bhuwon, Jarvis, Devra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agrochemicals; Agroecology; Biodiversity; cultivars; Economics; Ecosystems; Farmers; Farms; Food; Food security; Genetic diversity; genetic variation; germplasm conservation; Households; Impact analysis; Influence; Insecticides; landraces; Livestock; modern variety; Morphology; Multiculturalism & pluralism; on-farm conservation; Oryza sativa; Regression analysis; Rice; Rural areas; Rural development; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomics; Studies; varietal diversity
• ISSN: 0889-048X; 1572-8366
• DOI: 10.1007/s10460-007-9082-0

A questionnaire survey of 408 households explored the role of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice (Oryza sativa L.) varietal diversity management on-farm in two contrasting eco-sites in Nepal. Multiple regression outputs suggest that number of parcels of land, livestock number, number of rice ecosystems, agro-ecology (altitude), and use of chemical fertilizer have a significant positive influence on landrace diversity on-farm, while membership in farmers' groups linked to extension services has significant but negative influence on landrace diversity. Factors with significant positive influence on diversity of modern varieties on-farm were number of parcels of land and of rice ecosystems, access to irrigation, membership in farmers' groups, and use of insecticide. Within communities, resource-endowed households maintain significantly higher varietal diversity on-farm than resource-poor households and play a significant role in conserving landraces that are vulnerable to genetic erosion and those with socio-cultural and market-preferred traits. Resource-poor households also contribute to local diversity conservation but at lower richness and area coverage levels than resource-endowed households. Households where a female had assumed the role of head of household due to death or migrant work of her husband had less diversity due to lower labor availability. Landraces with socio-cultural and market-preferred traits are few in number but have potential to be conserved on-farm.