MANANG: As climatic patterns shift, farming timelines in Manang are changing significantly.
While lower regions of the district are just entering the planting season, upper areas have already begun cultivation, marking a noticeable change from traditional agricultural cycles.
Farmers in villages like Tachai, Tilche, Thanchowk, Chame, Timang, Nachai, and Odar are currently engaged in sowing traditional crops such as potatoes, wheat, buckwheat (fapar), among others.
According to the Agricultural Knowledge Center, this is the active farming period for Narpabhumi and Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipalities.
“Environmental changes are not only affecting when farming is done, but also what is being farmed,” said Madan Regmi, Head of the Agricultural Knowledge Center.
He noted that the disappearance of traditional crops in some areas and shifts in climate have pushed farmers toward hybrid and alternative farming options.
Still, local farmers are trying to preserve traditional agriculture. Data from the past four years shows a growing interest in cultivating local varieties of potatoes, which have shown relatively strong productivity—except during the years impacted by COVID-19 and floods.
In the lower areas of Manang, crops like corn, potatoes, and wheat are grown, along with vegetables such as tomatoes, cauliflower, pumpkins, onions, garlic, leafy greens, radishes, and carrots.
“Except for rice and millet, most food produced here is consumed locally,” said Chief Regmi.
He added that despite the shift in weather patterns, farmers have not struggled to find markets for their products.
“Climate change is clearly visible here. Snowfall, which once irrigated these areas, has become irregular—sometimes missing entirely, other times falling only in the valleys,” he explained. “This lack of snowmelt is threatening irrigation and, in turn, forcing changes in farming patterns.”
A study conducted by the Knowledge Center confirms that climate change is reshaping agriculture in Manang.
Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation have made previously impossible crops viable, while traditional varieties are declining due to falling yields.
“Although demand for traditional crops remains strong, reduced productivity has driven many farmers to adopt high-yield developed crops,” Regmi said. The center’s statistics indicate a decline in arable land use, as more fields go barren amid changing conditions.
Regmi emphasized the need for urgent support. “Farmers are still attracted to traditional crops, and most of the produce is consumed locally. But shifting markets and lower yields have made farming less viable,” he said.
“To preserve and promote our traditional agricultural practices, all three tiers of government must step up with policies that support increased production and access to broader markets—even at the international level.”
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