System In Nepal Research Articles

Application of Smart Surveillance System in National Security


 Surveillance has been considered essential in maintaining order and discipline since the dawn of time. This paper explores various domains revolving around the Smart surveillance system ranging from the primitive definition, and how it deviates from traditional surveillance to how we can implement the system on a fundamental level which can be scaled up to work on national-level systems. With the rising criminal activity in today’s world, there is a need for a proposed solution in surveillance applications that can examine human behavior and recognize people with criminal pasts and detect abnormal activities. This article focuses on proposing advancements in Surveillance Systems in Nepal such that Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems will be able to recognize people with criminal pasts and also keep track of a person's behaviour to predict if any acts of violence are about to take place or not. The research aims to explore the potential for such a system in Nepal and other places around the world, including questions such as: what specific types of AI Surveillance are the governments deploying and “The feasibility and challenges of adopting a Smart Surveillance System in Nepal”. The research methodology consists of secondary sources of data to collect the information. A comparative document study, a quick survey with ICT experts, journal articles, and research on current technologies, found that Nepal is not far behind in technological advancements though it lacks policy-level intervention on AI which shows Nepal can enhance its national security by adopting an AI-powered Surveillance System.

The contributions of scale-appropriate farm mechanization to hunger and poverty reduction: evidence from smallholder systems in Nepal

PurposeThis study examines the adoption drivers of scale-appropriate mechanization in Nepal's maize-based farming systems. The authors also assess the contribution of scale-appropriate mechanization to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of zero hunger (SDG2) and no poverty (SDG1).Design/methodology/approachPropensity score matching and doubly robust inverse probability-weighted regression adjusted methods were applied to estimate the effects of mini-tiller adoption. These methods control the biases that arise from observed heterogeneities between mini-tillers users and nonusers.FindingsThe study findings show that farm size, labor shortages, draft animal scarcity, market proximity, household assets and household heads' educational level influence the adoption of mechanization in Nepal. Mechanized farms exhibited enhanced maize productivity, profits and household food self-sufficiency. Reduced depth and severity of poverty were also observed. Nevertheless, these effects were not uniform; very small farms (≤0.41 ha) facing acute labor shortages benefited the most.Research limitations/implicationsThe study results suggest that policymakers in developing nations like Nepal may wish to expand their emphasis on scale-appropriate mechanization to improve farm productivity and household food security, reduce poverty and contribute to the SDGs.Originality/valueThis first-of-its-kind study establishes the causal effects between scale-appropriate farm mechanization and SDG1 (no poverty) and SDG2 (zero hunger) in a developing nation.

The Potential for Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems in Nepal

Nepal possesses a good solar resource, and there has been increasing interest in the use of photovoltaic systems. About 1.1 million solar home systems, rated at nearly 30 MWp, have been installed across Nepal. With the introduction of net metering by the Nepal Electricity Authority, an increase in rooftop photovoltaics (RPV) is expected. However, to inform any policy developments around increased electricity generation, and the uptake of RPV, there is a need to quantify the potential of such systems (a situation mirrored in many developing countries). To this end, this study utilized a hierarchical geospatial technique based on open-source data to estimate the potential output from RPV in several cities in Nepal (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj, and Biratnagar). It was found that the potential theoretical output of RPV ranged from 637 GWh per annum, in Kathmandu, to 50 GWh per annum in Butwal. Moreover, the total RPV potential from urban households of Nepal was estimated to be in the order 6.5 TWh per annum. As such, the findings of this paper can be used to make informed policy decisions about the future of Nepal’s energy mix.

尼泊尔社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力评价及影响因素辨识

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 尼泊尔社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力评价及影响因素辨识 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202202060297 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 中国科学院A类战略性先导科技专项项目（XDA20010302） Assessment of socioeconomic-ecological composite system resilience and its influencing factors analysis in Nepal Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:“一带一路”沿线部分国家处于生态环境脆弱、社会经济落后状态，开展社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力时空特征评估及关键要素识，对于实现"一带一路"倡议"走出去"战略和绿色丝路建设至关重要。基于社会发展、经济水平、基础设施建设、生态环境、自然灾害风险5个一级指标24个二级指标构建了社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力评价指标体系，利用主成分分析法和结构方程模型评价了2000-2015年尼泊尔县域尺度社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力并分析了其时空分异特征，厘清了影响社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力的关键因素及其影响机制。结果表明：①尼泊尔社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力在县域尺度上主要集中在中低和中等恢复力水平，而中高恢复力呈由南向北逐渐降低态势，南部地区以及位于中部发展区的首都加德满都河谷地区恢复力水平相对较高；②2000-2015年尼泊尔社会经济-生态复合系统恢复力在不同阶段呈现波动变化状态，2005年恢复力最优，2010和2015年部分区域恢复力降低明显，系统恢复力区域间差异逐步增大；③社会发展、经济水平、基础设施、建设生态环境和自然灾害风险对系统恢复力提升的总效应分别为0.99，0.07，0.11，0.89和-0.12；按照指标影响程度来看，尼泊尔提升恢复力的关键路径主要在于促进社会经济发展、改善生态环境、推动基础设施建设以及降低灾害风险。未来尼泊尔应依托"一带一路"建设平台加强与周边国家合作交流，提升社会保障与区域均衡发展，促进产业升级及积累资本，发展生态林业并加强灾害监测及决策支持系统建设，实现社会、经济和生态的协同与可持续发展。 Abstract:In the face of multiple crises and challenges brought by global change and intensified human activities, how to cope with various risks and maintain system resilience has become one of the important issues of regional sustainable development. The One Belt and One Road initiative is international economic cooperation initiative put forward by China, which aims to promote economic globalization and win-win international cooperation. While, some countries along the One Belt and One Road are in a fragile ecological environment and backward in social and economic development, such as Nepal whose socioeconomic-ecological composite system has potential low risk resistance characteristics. It is crucial to evaluate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the socioeconomic-ecological composite system resilience of typical countries and identify the key factors for the implementation of the "Go Global" strategy and the Green Silk Road construction. Taking Nepal as case study area, an index system for evaluating the resilience of the socioeconomic-ecological composite system was constructed based on five first-level indicators and 24 second-level indicators from the perspectives of social development, economic level, infrastructure construction, ecological environment, and the natural disaster risk. Then, based on principal component analysis and structural equation model, this paper evaluated the resilience of socioeconomic-ecological composite system at county-level in Nepal from 2000 to 2015, analyzed its temporal and spatial variation characteristics, and clarified the key factors influencing the resilience and its influencing mechanism. The results showed that at the county level, the resilience of the socioeconomic-ecological composite system in Nepal was mainly concentrated at the low and medium levels, while the resilience of the middle and high levels gradually decreased from south to north, and the resilience of the southern region and the Capital Kathmandu Valley in the central development zone was relatively high. In addition, from 2000 to 2015, the resilience of socioeconomic-ecological composite system in Nepal fluctuated and showed spatial differences at different stages. The resilience was the highest in 2005, and decreased significantly in some regions in 2010 and 2015, and the regional differences of the system resilience increased gradually. Moreover, the total effects of social development, economic level, infrastructure construction, ecological environment and natural disaster risk on resilience improvement were 0.99, 0.07, 0.11, 0.89 and -0.12, respectively. According to the effect degree of the factors, the key path to enhance Nepal's resilience mainly lay in promoting social and economic development, improving the ecological environment, promoting infrastructure construction and reducing disaster risk. In the future, Nepal should rely on the "One Belt and One Road Initiative" construction platform to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with neighboring countries, improve social security and the balanced regional development, promote industrial upgrading and capital accumulation, develop ecological forestry, strengthen disaster monitoring and decision support system construction, and realize social, economic and ecological coordination and sustainable development. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Building a Case for Responsible Management Education in Nepal

There is a need for substantial management development, which is a precondition for Nepal's social and economic transformation. Responsible management education can play a crucial role in this transformation, and the Six Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) can guide business schools in the development of responsible management education. However, there are specific challenges faced in advancing responsible management education in Nepal. These challenges include the perceived identity of the higher education sector in Nepal, capacity development for management educators, and the need for country-specific teaching resources. The education sector in Nepal needs to prepare skilled human resources necessary to achieve its vision of "rebuilding a resilient nation, promoting entrepreneurial spirit, and creating a knowledge-based society". Responsible management education can contribute to this vision by promoting sustainable development and social transformation. There is a need to examine its impact on the quality of education. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted the education system in Nepal, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions to manage the crisis and build a resilient education system. In conclusion, responsible management education is crucial for Nepal's social and economic development. The Six Principles of Responsible Management Education can guide business schools in the development of responsible management education. However, there are specific challenges faced in advancing responsible management education in Nepal, which require a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address. responsible management education should be incorporated. Keywords: management education, responsible, quality, challenges, development

Tradition, Political and Legal Systems of Nepal

This study concerns the political system, and traditional rituals practiced in Nepal. It focuses on the analysis of the unique relationship between the political system and tradition in Nepal. The Nepali legal system is based on customary law. Nepali society is largely based on the traditional framework. Perhaps all societies have been developing their social norms. Britain, which is considered the mother of democracy, has been operating its governing system according to tradition. In this way, no one would deny that the state or society is progressing in its way or pattern. In that way, I have conceptualized tradition as trends that have been practiced for a long time or accepted by people. Ancient civilizations, be those Atheinns or India, have been bound in some tradition. This study is focused on what traditions are maintained in the political and legal systems in Nepal, and how those traditional rituals have influenced today’s political system of Nepal. As a library study, it is purely qualitative in nature, and it has descriptively analyzed the secondary materials from the Middle Age to the present day.

An Analysis of Caste Discrimination and Untouchability in R.B. Nischal's Poem Paitālā Pukār 2

This paper examines the socio-cultural issues of Dalits. The objective of the study was to analyze caste discrimination and untouchability of Dalits. For this objective, the researcher has employed Stuart Hall's theoretical insights of representation under cultural studies. The poem was selected purposively and it was the library based qualitative research. The data were collected from record-keeping and description. The researcher found that Dalit community that has suffered from the time immemorial in every aspect due to generational, multi-faceted and institutionalized discrimination due to the Hindu caste system in Nepal for religious and political reasons. This unfair practice has left a clear mark of social division, exclusion and inequality which has severely ruined Dalits' life and identity. Addressing this issue in the poem Paital Puk r Ram Bahadur Kami, displays episodes of verbal and physical violence and recurrent intra-caste discrimination. As well as he depicts the traumatic existence of the Dalit oppressed community. Other dominations and discriminations are less traumatic in comparison of cultural trauma which is like an incurable disease. Therefore, this paper displays how the Dalit people have been living in a society bearing harsh torture, trauma and inhuman treatment. Moreover, it is significant for academia for representing diverse cultural experiences and people and it can be a valuable asset for the society.

Perception of dalits who entered civil service through reservation system in Nepal

Historically, Dalits have been one of the most marginalized caste groups in Nepal. Always pushed to the fringes of society, deprived of opportunities to make their way out of caste-based hierarchy, Dalits have always been among the lower rungs of society. To eliminate such discriminations and ensure their adequate representation at least in civil service, the concept of reservation, or quota-based hiring was introduced. This exploratory study attempts to understand how Dalits who have entered the civil service through the reservation system perceive themselves as civil servants. As per the findings of this study, Dalits who have entered the government through reservation system feel isolated and perceive others see them as incapable and not trustworthy. They also feel there exists an indirect discrimination in society which is something that they have experienced all their life. The study confirmed that Dalits who enter the government civil service through reservation system aspire to receive more encouragement at work, as they perceive such thrust will nurture confidence and result in better performance, but their caste status seems to have created problems to realize their aspiration into reality.

Opportunities and Challenges of Implementing Federal Health System in Nepal at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nepal has been practicing the federal system in health since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015. The new three-tier system of one federal, seven provincial and 753 local governments have set up ministries, departments, and health units at each level. Less than four years into this system, the country faced the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic created both opportunities and challenges for the federal health system. This study aims to identify those factors from the viewpoint of implementers of the health system. After an extensive literature review, exploratory qualitative research was carried out with twenty public health workers and elected representatives from all the tiers of government, including the federal ministry and governments of Lumbini Province. The data was analyzed using the R package for Qualitative Data Analysis (RQDA). Thematic analysis was performed using the World Health Organization’s six building blocks of the health system as an analytical framework. The participants highlighted many opportunities after federalization in Nepal. The presence of government closer to people helped to make policies and plans as per local needs. Decentralized power to make decisions at the local level made human and financial resources readily available to local governments leading to better service delivery at the time of need. In contrast, the challenges were difficulty transiting into the new system of governance, poor coordination among the different government tiers, and the lack of local expertise to manage and lead the health system during severe constraints posed by the global pandemic of an unprecedented nature. The study showed that the federalization in Nepal has met the goals of devolution of the power structure and better health system management. However, there are specific areas of improvement to ensure a more functional health system.

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from the poultry production system in Nepal.

Twenty poultry farms in five provinces of Nepal were selected for studying bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns. To document the proportion of cloacal swabs collected from 3,230 broiler and 3,230 layer chickens from September to December 2021 that grew isolates of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and Salmonella spp. along with their AMR patterns. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. In broiler birds, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella spp. and E. coli were identified in respectively 36%, 39% and 63% of swabs. In layer birds, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella spp. and E. coli were identified in respectively 31%, 48% and 60% of swabs. For both bird types, there was variation in bacterial prevalence between the regions. For all three bacterial isolates, the lowest antimicrobial resistance was found with amikacin. For the other nine antibiotics tested, >50% of bacterial isolates showed resistance; between 60% and 90% of isolates showed resistance to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Multidrug resistance ranged from 45% to 46% for Salmonella spp., 37-44% for E. coli and 13-17% for Enterococcus spp. This study shows that a large proportion of poultry in Nepal are infected with potentially pathogenic bacteria, and these are frequently resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Nepal urgently needs to implement corrective measures.

CALL FOR ACTION: STRENGTHENING LONG-TERM CARE IN NEPAL

Abstract This paper aims to introduce the existing long-term care (LTC) system in Nepal, identify key emerging issues, and provide possible policy recommendations for addressing weaknesses in the current system. Although the majority of older Nepali adults rely on their adult children for care, this traditional care arrangement is weakening for a variety of reasons. As a result, older Nepali adults increasingly seek care elsewhere such as “old age homes” (OAH), which generally meet only their basic needs. More recently, adult day centers have been established that enable older Nepali to receive help with personal care and instrumental tasks and/or health care needs in the absence of their families; however, they are primarily located in big cities and largely limited to those who can afford to pay. With a growing older population and societal changes that make familial care increasingly challenging for adult children, the Government of Nepal must foster the development of a sustainable system of LTC. This will necessarily involve building and sustaining a skilled geriatric workforce, capitalizing on the natural “villages” that have existed in Nepal for hundreds of years, and standardizing and monitoring the operation of LTC facilities. Additionally, public service campaigns to help destigmatize the use of OAH and day centers and integration of home and community-based services to make care arrangements locally could help make these newer LTC approaches more acceptable. Finally, nationally representative studies aimed at understanding the health and care needs of Nepal’s rapidly increasing older population is of utmost priority.

Backward mapping from outcomes: Using a realist evaluation lens to evaluate an international aid program

In this paper, a backward mapping approach to realist evaluation is used to evaluate the efficacy of an international inclusive education short course program in transforming inclusive perspectives and practices of educators from Nepal who were considered leaders in inclusive education. The program, an Australia Awards South and West Asia (AASWA) short course, delivered by an Australian university, was designed to build on the existing capacity of the participants to lead the implementation of inclusive education reforms and system enhancements within the school system in Nepal. Data collected before, during and after the program provide insights into the ways in which participants responded to the program. Our findings indicate that a deep understanding of context is needed by program planners to identify how and why particular mechanisms are triggered that lead to transformative learning of the participants. We suggest that backward mapping as a methodology is a viable realist evaluation process to evaluate complex programs such as the short-term international aid program on IE. Our paper concludes with recommendations for developers of similar programs in the future.

Ten Years of the Nepal Ambulance Service: Successful and Sustainable Efforts.

We describe the evolution of the nonprofit Nepal Ambulance Service (NAS) in a narrative of its 10-y history, presenting geographical, social, cultural, and financial considerations that permeated the development of NAS. We gathered narrative information from the NAS leadership and partners to detail key organizational considerations regarding the implementation and maintenance of the prehospital system in Nepal. We describe the response of NAS to the 2015 earthquake and summarize transport data for 6 mo before and 6 mo after the event. The data collected included the date and time of calls received, time to ambulance dispatch, on-scene time, time to arrival at the hospital, time until the ambulance crew was back in service, patient age and sex, chief complaints, and work shift time of the ambulance crew. To characterize the time to response and transport after the 2015 earthquake, we present the means and standard deviations of the time intervals. There was an overall increase in calls and, specifically, trauma-related calls after the 2015 earthquake. The time from a call placed to dispatch was stable, approximately 2 min, throughout the period, whereas the time from dispatch to the scene and arrival at the scene varied widely. We discuss the response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The NAS provided care to 1230 patients with COVID-19. The descriptive data show how well NAS responded to a major national disaster and the recent pandemic.

Relative Growth of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Aquaponics with Different Types of Fish Food

Aquaponics has the potential to contribute to food security in urban Nepal, where agricultural land near cities is rapidly being converted for other uses. This technology’s use is expanding in Nepal, but the relatively high cost of commercial fish food is a hindrance. As a result, some aquaponics operators are resorting to alternative, less expensive fish foods. Since the primary input of nutrients to the plants grown in aquaponics comes from the fish food, an evaluation of the impact of fish foods on plant and fish growth is needed to help operators evaluate the costs and benefits of commercial compared to alternative fish diets. This study evaluated the growth of lettuce and common carp, the most common species of plant and fish used in aquaponics in Nepal, with three fish diets (commercial fish food, commercial chicken food, and a homemade diet with mustard oil cake and rice bran) at a commercial aquaponics farm with nine identical systems allowing for three replicates of the three fish food treatments. There were no significant differences in the measurements of lettuce growth (stem length, root length, and stem mass) and few differences in nutrient concentrations in leaf tissue. The specific growth rate of the carp fingerlings was lowest for the fish in the systems fed with the homemade diet (0.21) compared to those fed commercial fish food or commercial chicken food (0.31 and 0.28, respectively). These findings suggest that aquaponics operators who have been buying the more expensive commercial fish food with fish meal as its protein source can save 50–95% of the related costs by using commercial chicken food or the homemade diet defined in this study. This could potentially encourage the expansion of aquaponics systems in Nepal.

Preliminary considerations for electronic medical record (EMR) in the public hospitals of Gandaki province in Nepal

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is the digital tool to keep records of valuable information on computer or computer-like equipment, regarding health systems, including patient’s records and stock management which can provide real time evidence for better patient record, clinical care and health policy making. As Nepal does not have a national EMR system, and it is a challenge to get real time data, information and evidence required for effective health policy making. With an effective national EMR system in Nepal, the health system can be improved with reliable information of patients for the continuity of clinical care.
 
 There are existing scientific evidence of EMR on the lessons of implementation in Nepal, opportunities for the use of EMR in Malaysia, perspectives of health care workers on EMR after its implementation in Canada, on the development of success measuring tools and the use of questionnaires for the EMR implementation in Canada, best practices, impact of EMR on physician practice, and barriers for EMR implementation.
 
 EMR can improve the quality, effectiveness, transparency and efficiency of healthcare services and its management. Gandaki province is one of seven provinces in Nepal and is exploring ways to implement EMR in all the hospitals operated under the province government. There can be step wise approach to have EMR in all of these hospitals. This can give more strategies for the national EMR system.

Development, Current Status and Challenges of Multiple Use Water Systems in Nepal: A Review

Drinking water supply systems in Nepal, originally designed to meet domestic water needs, are currently being used to fulfill the multiple water needs beyond domestic use which created inefficiency, risking water shortage and even causing premature system failure and breakdown. International Development Enterprises (IDE) first implemented the scheme, which is referred, to as Multiple-Use Water Systems (MUWS) that addresses the productive as well as domestic water needs. The MUWS systems are implemented in middle hill districts of the western, mid-western and far-western development regions of Nepal. The onset point for MUWS is classified as domestic-plus in which users have access to water for productive uses but maintain the priority for domestic uses around homesteads; irrigation-plus in which, users can accommodate water for both productive and domestic uses but maintain the priority for irrigation uses; and community-driven in which communities and their existing water practices and priorities as a starting point for improvement, and offers technology choices designed for multiple uses. MUWS shows multiple benefits by ensuring water availability, enhanced economy and community involvement. However, the system faced challenges of water shortage during the lean period and unaffordable system connection fees and tariffs for the poor and marginalised. Properly planned, managed and regulated MUWS can be seen as one of the several potential adaptation options utilising scarce water for high-value and off-season crop production, more effectively and efficiently in the context of changing climate.

Assessing the Operation Management: A Case of Narayani Lift Irrigation System, Nepal

Narayani Lift Irrigation System is one of the oldest lift irrigation systems in Nepal, constructed in 1982. The machines used are as old as the project and, some were maintained and are still in operation. The study focuses on the operation assessment of the Narayani Lift Irrigation System. Field visits with a checklist, a Questionnaire survey, Key informant interviews were the main methods of data collection. The data was analysed using the Relative Importance Index and descriptive statics.The past performance of the system indicates irrigation coverage of only 4,700 Ha of the pump scheme that too with occasional supplements to the Khageri irrigation system in the event of scarcity. Dispute during the water distribution time was frequently observed and the role of NLIWUA was effective in dispute management.The system operation changes were observed in the socio-economic and agricultural status of the users. An increase in the economic status by 45% is noted, 55.4 % of farmers have been motivated towards agriculture. A shift of farmers from rice plantations to cash crops is noted. The operational cost and maintenance cost of components of the pump house were allocated by Government. The budget allocated was sufficient only for the temporary maintenance, but the system needs proper rehabilitation. Sediment Management is the main problem of the system; hence improvement needs to be done. How to cite this article: Ruwali A, Ghimire R, Nepal S et al. Assessing the Operation Management: A Case of Narayani Lift Irrigation System, Nepal. J Adv Res Geo Sci Rem Sens 2022; 9(3&4): 1-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2455.3190.202201

Older People and Social Security System in Nepal

Population aging is the global phenomenon irrespective of level of development of the country. But, there is dearth of research focusing different issues of elderly in Nepal. This paper discusses aging trends and some aging issues of Nepal focusing the social security in the changing social context of Nepal. For the purpose of this paper research article found through google search and freely available to download or paper author has access is used. Population aging is directly related with the fertility and mortality of the country. Latest trend shows both fertility and mortality are decreasing and average life expectancy as well as proportion of older population is increasing in Nepal. Statistics shows elderly population proportion is increasing and expected to reach 10% of total population in the 2021 census. Aging has resulted problems on social-cultural, economic, demographic, labour, health and care of the elderly. The social security of the elderly is major concern with aging population. But the government has not given adequate priority to the issues of elderly and their social security as well. Government needs to identify the issues of elderly and need to develop sustainable policies for the quality-of-life increasing aging populations.

Identifying determinants of sustainable water management at the household level through rainwater harvesting systems in Nepal

Abstract The urban water supply systems around the world are highly stressed at present due to growing water demand caused by rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization. The growing environmental awareness and water supply restrictions have made rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) a priority as well as a necessity in many countries. To improve urban water security, the practice of an RWHS is increasingly being adopted in the cities and towns of developing countries. This study aims at identifying the factors affecting the adoption of rainwater harvesting for household uses in the Kathmandu valley (KV) of Nepal. The results were drawn from a survey of 405 respondents who reside in the KV. To explain the determinants of adaptation, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. Results show that independence for water access and system sophistication are significant for the adaptation of RWHS and relative advantage plays a moderating role that has partial mediation among dependent and independent variables with a significant relationship. Thus, variables like independence for water access, system sophistication, relative advantage and sustainable use should be highlighted for a sustainable supply of water. For this, we recommend effective policy interventions at the local and national level for the adoption of RWHS and its advantages in terms of safeguarding water in the long run at the present changing climate scenario.

Federalization of Agriculture Sector: Issues and Challenges

The research examines the current issues and challenges of sectoral restructuring and assesses local governments' performance in agricultural service delivery at the local level under the federal system in Nepal. This study was conducted using a mixed method during 2019-2021 in three local governments at the local, Karnali Province, and federal levels. Qualitative methods such as KIIs, FGDs and field observations were used to analyze the issues and gaps in functions, institutions and policies in the agriculture sector under the federal system. Whilst qualitative methods and an empirical survey among 300 farming households were conducted to assess local governments' performance in agricultural service provisions. The qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage. Findings revealed that functional overlap, duplication and lack of coordination between the three tiers of the government as major issues in sectoral restructuring. Farming household surveys revealed that local governments are effective in the timely delivery of agricultural services. However, farmers indicated their lower level of agreement on the capacity of the local staff, policies, institutional mechanisms, participatory process in planning and financial resource allocation for agricultural services. The performance of these three local governments on agricultural service delivery was affected by leadership priority and commitment, local policies, local staff capacity, resource allocation and external support. Overlapping and duplication in service delivery roles, weak local capacity, higher conditionality of intergovernmental sectoral fiscal transfer and less priority of local governments in financial resource prioritization are current issues and gaps in agricultural service delivery. The findings suggest the demarcation of the roles and responsibilities between the three tiers of the government, strengthening local capacities and revisiting local governments' institutional arrangement for effective agricultural service delivery under the federal system.