Quick Note:)

Snowmelt and Survival: The Uncertain Future of Farming in Dolpo.

While global warming is causing glaciers and snowpacks to melt faster across the world's high peaks, like the Himalayas, the rate of temperature increase in Nepal's Himalayas is outpacing the global average landmass (0.02 to 0.16°C) according to 2023 research.

This accelerated warming has a worrying consequence. Warmer temperatures cause more ice and snow to melt yearly, disrupting the natural balance between accumulation and sublimation. This translates to a more rapid disappearance of glaciers and snowpack in the region.

The Upper Dolpo region heavily relies on snowmelt water for irrigation, livestock, and drinking water when many other sources are diminished. Spring starts late in March, and farmers depend on the gradually melting snowpack that lasts until late July.

However, untimely snow followed by a late monsoon has been occurring for more than six years, as far as Sangmo, a local farmer, can remember. She recalls the caravan period: "When November starts, people fear crossing mountains to travel back and forth. That's when winter starts with a complete shutdown from other entries. It's a good omen that no disease can transmit."

Today, it is the opposite. People travel back and forth throughout the winter to lower regions like Dunai, the district headquarters, Kathmandu, etc. "It's strange to experience warm weather even in the middle of winter." There is a saying in the village: "The eleventh month is when the ground starts cracking, and in the twelfth month, rocks start cracking." That was because of the cold weather and it's no more relevant today.

Mountains like Shurwo, Gang Nangtse, Lhaeko, and Mukporong are crucial water sources for villages like Tiling, Saldang, Karang, Yuldro, and Vijer. These mountains accumulate snow throughout the winter, which melts slowly in spring and summer to feed rivers and streams. The groundwater recharge provides a reliable source of clean drinking water for many villages. The meltdown water flowing downhill maintains underground moisture for the grassland.  

Due to erratic snowfall patterns, the reduced snowpack on the mountains has displaced summer nomadic sites, abandoned farms, and rangeland degradation because of sparse grassland. For instance, in Karang alone, summer cattle-rearing sites such as Taethang, Wanglung, Tseu, and many others are no longer used due to a water shortage. Dawa Tsering is now in her mid-50s. She recalls, "I move from place to place with goats the whole year in search of better grassland. Spring is the season to move to Taetahng for two months. It's obvious to choose because of lush pasture and good water." She continues, "It has been over seven years since I stopped moving there. There is no water for me to drink." This disruption impacts the entire grazing cycle, leading to breaks in traditional rotational grazing practices. Besides, sparse grassland led to overgrazing, fueled by surface runoff during the rainy season, making rangeland degradation even worse.

Over 2,000 acres of farmland have been abandoned in the last ten years in Karang due to a decline in the water table. Soyue, one of Karang's longest hand-dug water tunnels, is completely abandoned because the receding river level can no longer reach the tunnel's source.

The future of farming in Dolpo is uncertain due to the rapidly changing climate. The accelerated rate of warming in the Himalayas is causing significant disruptions to traditional farming and livestock-rearing practices. As snowfall patterns become increasingly erratic, the water sources that the Dolpo people rely on are diminishing, leading to abandoned farmlands and degraded rangelands.

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