Santi Griha has implemented projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of Chepang
households in Gorkha and Tanahun research sites. Some of the project activities were
focused on improving the home gardens in the area through promoting species diversity.
Participatory and collaborative approaches were used in designing and implementing the
project activities. Different district based organizations were involved in the collective sharing
of technical expertise and resources.
ABOUT THE STUDY SITES
Chepangs also called praja, are one of several ethnic minorities of western hills of Central
Nepal inhabiting on the sloping land in hilly landscapes of Tanahun, Chitwan, Makawanpur,
Dhading and Gorkha districts. The study was mainly focused on the Chepang communities
and confined to Chimkeswori and Bhumlingchowk VDCs of Tanahun and Gorkha districts
respectively (Figure 1) but information from other slash and burn areas particularly of
Taplejung, Sankhuwasaba, Nawalparasi and Dhading were also incorporated based on the
relevance of the discussion.
MAJOR FINDINGS
Land use practices and livelihood condition
Cultivation Practices
The slash and burn system is very common type of shifting cultivation practice prevalent in
Nepalese mountains. The average fallow period between two subsequent slash and burn,
locally known as Lhose^2 , has now been reduced to 1-6 years against 10-15 years about 20
years ago. These practices appear due to the population growth and decline in the new
forest areas for cultivation which leads them to cultivate in short cycle.
Communities in an area clear the land, burn the area and collect the debris at the bottom of
the field, which is locally called “gujultaune”. Slash and no burn system is common in some
farming communities of Tanahun. Nowadays this practice is popular in other districts like
Chitwan, Gorkha and Makawanpur districts. The expansion of the community forestry
(^2) Lhose refers to the fallow period
600-1400m