Indigenous Communities in Makwanpur Face Challenges to Traditional Livelihoods
Summary
Indigenous communities in Makwanpur face challenges to their traditional livelihoods due to conservation policies, climate change, and changing development impacts. Their customary practices connected to rivers and forests are increasingly under threat.
Key Points
- Indigenous communities in Makwanpur such as Bote, Chepang, Vankarai, and Tamang are losing access to traditional livelihood resources due to strict conservation regulations and climate change.
- The Bote community can no longer fish or utilize river resources as before, impacting both their economy and cultural rituals.
- Climate change has disrupted traditional farming cycles and natural resource availability, worsening hardships for communities like the Chepang.
- Legal provisions like the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act and Forest Act impose restrictions that conflict with indigenous customary practices, exacerbating community hardships.
