9 Oct 2000
Sponsors
Institute of Advanced
     Studies, UN Univ., Japan
AEON Foundation, Japan
Internet Conference on 
Material Flow Analysis of 
Integrated Bio-Systems
(March-October 2000)
http://www.ias.unu.edu/proceedings/icibs/ic-mfa
 Organized by: 
Integrated Bio-Systems Network
UNU/IAS Alumni Association, UN Univ.,Tokyo
with the assistance of :
MFA Conference Planning Group
UNESCO Microbial Resources Centre, Stockholm

Resource flow Analysis of the Nepalese Mountain Farming System

Punya Prasad Regmi
School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani, Thailand

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Key words: 
Nepalese mountain farming system, investment flow, bio-resource flow 

Abstract
Nepalese agricultural system is regarded as an integrated system, which is composed of four basic components, namely, people, crops, livestock and forests. These components are integrated in such a way that the farming enterprises are managed in accordance with the household's goals, and its preferences in response to the physical, biological and socioeconomic environments. A farm household follows an integrated approach to utilize its resources best, so that the major parts of the mobile nutrients are kept within the system and recycled for further production. This is the way through which a farm household tries to be self-sustained.  It is evident from the fact that less than 14 percent of the total cash income is spend for agricultural purposes by the mountain farmers of Nepal. Since their main occupation is agriculture, most of the investment for this sector is made through their own reserves.  However, there exist a resource flow mechanism through which part of the farm and forest resources goes to the outside of their agro-ecosystem boundary and vice versa (Figure 1).  Through this paper, an attempt is made to provide an overview of the mountain farming system of Nepal, giving particular focus on the bio-resource flow mechanism.

Table 1:        Total Expenditures Made Out of the Total Cash Income Earned by the Mountain Farmers in Nepal
 
 


Figure 1:    Multi-dimensional Resource Flow Mechanism in the Mountain Farming 

CHAIRPERSONS
(1)  Michael O. Agho FEPA/ZERI Centre, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria
(2) Marlito L Cardenas Meganomics Specialists International Inc., Quezon City, Philippines


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Punya Prasad Regmi, Ph.D. 
Thailand: Research Specialist I
School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology
PO box 4, Kong Luang 12120, Pathumthani, Thailand
Tel.: (66-2) 524 5615 and 524 5551 (office)    (66-2) 524 8156 (home)
Fax: (66-2) 524 5552          email: regmi@ait.ac.th

Nepal: Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Central  Campus, Chitwan, Nepal.

My research interest and professional expertise on Agricultural Planning, Regional and Rural Development, Biodiversity Conservation,  and Eco-restructuring for Sustainable Development. I have been serving as President of the Society for Highland Development, Nepal, a NGO dedicated to reach the unreached people. I am also affiliated with the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Nepal as the faculty member.