Composting Innovation for Sustainable Mountain Farming: A Case study from Jumla, Nepal

Abstract ID: 3.5490 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

Sarada Thapa (1)
(1) ForestAction Nepal, Ashram Street, 0000 Lalitpur, NP

Categories: Adaptation, Agriculture
Keywords: high mountains, Composting, organic technology, demonstration, Nepal

Categories: Adaptation, Agriculture
Keywords: high mountains, Composting, organic technology, demonstration, Nepal

The Karnali Agriculture Supported Program (KASP), led by ForestAction Nepal’s food and agriculture team, implemented a transformative initiative to introduce organic arid technologies in the mountainous Karnali region of Nepal. Collaborating with lead farmer Gorakh Bahadur Bhandari in Jumla, the project addressed a critical challenge: the lack of composting practices in high mountain regions, where biomass degradation is slow. Composting, essential for enhancing soil fertility and promoting organic agriculture, is common in Nepal’s Terai and Middle Hills but rare in high-altitude areas. The project team introduced composting techniques adapted to the region, focusing on utilizing animal manure traditionally wasted due to open livestock rearing practices. Improved cowsheds were constructed to collect animal manure, urine, and leftover litter, which became key ingredients for composting. A pit method was employed, suitable for the cool climate. The team prepared a pit measuring 1.5m x 1m x 2ft and lined it with black plastic to aid decomposition. Compost ingredients, including diluted cow dung (8kg mixed with 20 liters of water), were layered in 5-inch increments, with the pit covered in black plastic for insulation and aerated using a stick placed at the center. Despite initial skepticism about composting’s viability in mountainous regions, the project successfully demonstrated the conversion of organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Although the composting process spanned nearly nine months, local farmers were impressed by the results and showed interest in adopting these practices on their farms. This initiative not only addressed the biomass degradation challenge but also laid the foundation for the integration of organic technologies and sustainable farming practices in high mountain regions.

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