Traditional Agricultural and Medicinal Practices in the Kailash Sacred Landscape, Nepal; ICIMOD Working Paper 2017/12

Traditional knowledge (TK) is very important for sustainable development. However, it faces the risk of loss in many parts of the world, including Nepal. There are only a few studies on the determinants of the use and erosion of TK and practices in the Kailash Sacred Landscape. The present study documents traditional practices and the factors determining its erosion in the Gwallek-Kedar Area of Baitadi district, Far Western Nepal. The Gwallek-Kedar Area, which spreads across eight Village Development Committees, is rich in biodiversity and cultural diversity. People who live in the vicinity of Gwallek-Kedar use the resources for medication, livelihood support, and livestock feed. The study documents traditional practices in the area, especially on agriculture and forest-based herbal remedy, and empirically determines the factors behind the erosion of such traditional practices.