Think about transforming Karnali Province with indigenous crops By Roshana Gautam Despite rich in agriculture biodiversity, Karnali is the most remote province. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for majority of people. Among 10 districts, 7 records food insecurity status. Out of 2,99,339 hectares of total land, only 2,16,880 hectares land in the Province has been under cultivation i.e. only 11.85% of land is under cultivation out of total area of the province. Being the largest province of the country, it contributes only 4.1% in the gross domestic production of the country. The fresh crunchy organic apple and local beans of Karnali have already been the preference of many urban Nepali consumers and availability of apple from this area restricted the apple imports from China and India. Thus, Jumla had harnessed its unique resources for apple production with highest sell of organic apples last season in 1919. Besides apple and local beans, cereals like Jumli Marshi, indigenous crops like Prosomillet, vegetables are also grown in Karnali. Among them cultivation of indigenous crops is more important in the context of changing climate and COVID-19. Whenever, there is public discussion about major obstacle existed in Karnali, it is always the issue of poverty, food and nutrition insecurity status of which Karnali has been faded since long time. Moreover, pregnant women and children are at high risk of adequate food consumption. Due to global pandemic, Nepal has been locked down since 24 March. So, we have less chance of importing cereals, vegetables, fruits from our neighbouring countries. Therefore, time has come to grow our own indigenous crops of high nutrition value which paly significant role to improve food and nutrition status and food shortages. Before, 1950 the Karnali region was exporter of all those indigenous crops and food production was enough and self-sufficient. People make clothes from locally available sheep wool such as radi, pakhi, coat. As the government through Nepal Food Cooperation (NFC) started to distribute air lifted subsidized rice in Karnali to end hunger, it created the situation worst. The people perceived air lifted rice as an elite food instead of consuming locally available foods.  In one way, rice eating culture was promoted with the import of subsidized rice, on other hand, farmers started to ignore cultivation of indigenous crops such as Prosomillet, fingermillet, buckwheat, foxtail millet. The recent National Planning Commission and World Food Programme conducted survey showed that 35% household in Karnali Province are food insecure, 7% households remain without food for at least a day due to economic status and 45% children are victims of malnutrition. So, flourishing our land with all those locally adapted crops helps to prevent malnutrition and improve food security status. Chief minister of Karnali province said, "indigenous crops are more important in the present situation of Covid-19 and changing climate context to sustain the food production, there may be chronic food shortage and to combat future problems availability of local seed can be best alternative". According to Hari Prasad Pandit, spokesperson, Agriculture Ministry, “total demand of food is 326 thousand 573 tons while the production is 352 thousand 573 tons. Still, there is food deficit of 25,428 tons.” Therefore, production of indigenous crops contributes in the reduction of food deficit by increasing yield as they are well adopted to climatic condition of Karnali Province. Indigenous crops have diversified benefits. Grain can be used for food while the straw and other byproduct can be used to feed the livestock. The finger millet provides calcium 35 times more than rice and maize and 8.8 times more than wheat. In the same way, it provides 2.3 times, 3.7 times and 1.5 times more iron than rice, maize and wheat. Similarly, Proso millet also contains high percentage of protein and iron as compare to rice and wheat. Grain Amaranthus is rich in iron, calcium, protein, vitamin C, folic acid and can be digested easily. Buckwheat contains 13.3% protein, 1.3 % of minerals and 3.4% fat. Foxtail millet also contain more protein, fats and minerals as compared to rice and wheat. Thus, production and consumption of indigenous crops boost up malnutrition, improve food security and reduce hunger in one side while on other perspective it will decrease the import by increasing local yield. As Nepal Food Corporation (NFC), has recently planned to expand its inventory including Prosomillet and Foxtail millet from Jumla, as it continuously selling naked barley, local beans and buckwheat from Karnali to Kathmandu. Now, we have an ample opportunity of producing underutilized, neglected and smart future crops indigenous crops. The mindset of the people considering rice as an elite food had prevented the production and consumption of indigenous crops, despite they are rich source of nutrient, well adopted to changing climatic conditions, short harvest period with low cost of production. Therefore, production and promotion of indigenous crops should be integrated through policy and planning process at all tiers of government. They need to be addressed immediately by public, private and other stakeholders engaged in agriculture sectors. Local government should put indigenous crop in its priority on this coming fiscal year as they are in the process of making annual plan. With this, provincial and local governments should collaborate with Nepal Agriculture Research Council forbreeding efforts and innovation of climate friendly technology for integration of indigenous crops. Therefore, they can contribute to achieve zero hunger and no poverty goals of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and helps to increase biodiversity through crop diversification. In the context of changing climate, COVID-19 period and over-dependency on a handful of commodities, cultivation of well adapted, neglected and underutilized crops of Karnali province can be boon to beat the future likely economic shock and rampant speculation of food crisis in this remote province. (Gutam is the post graduate student at the Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal. She can be reached at: rosanagautam7@gmail.com)