Papers by Arjun Chapagain
Shadow Exchanges along the New Silk Roads
The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural... more The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural areas along the Trans-Himalayan Silk Road and is an important source of revenue for the government of Nepal. Researchers estimate that the officially recorded export value of Nepalese MAPs is many times less than the amount actually exported. MAPs in Nepal are harvested by individuals mostly from the wild and are channelled through intermediate actors within a confusing policy environment. An official permit is required to collect ‘non-timber forest products’ and the Department of Forestry is responsible for regulating the MAPs trade in Nepal by issuing permits and collecting revenue. The hidden economy and informal practices are thus more likely to be used in sectors where permissions are necessary for harvesting, locally transporting, and exporting any commodity.
International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources
Nepalese medicinal plants have been exported for centuries [7], primarily to India and China [8,9... more Nepalese medicinal plants have been exported for centuries [7], primarily to India and China [8,9]. With the industrialization of traditional medicine and globalization of the medicinal plant trade, the bulk of Nepalese medicinal plants are exported to India, China, and beyond [10-13], where they are the subject of increasing interest in the herbal curative system [14]. This high demand may be due to the significant efficiency [15] of bioconstituents in modern medicine, the proximity to centuries-old systems (Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine) [16] or their use in the preparation of aromatic products, cosmetics, plant fibers, herbal dyes, food flavoring [17]. From 11,971 species of flowering and non-flowering plants, including fungi and lichens [18] more than 2,300 have medicinal value [19] while 300 are traded and exported from Nepal [20].
Botanica Orientalis: Journal of Plant Science, 2018
This paper quantifies the volume and value of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) traded from B... more This paper quantifies the volume and value of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) traded from Baitadi district in western Nepal. Information related to trade, in the Fiscal Year 2014/015, was collected through pre-tested structured questionnaire. Harvesters (n = 24) and the entire population of sub-local (n = 35) and local (n = 7) traders were interviewed to quantify the value and volume of MAP trade from the district. Results showed that 15.2% households were engaged in harvesting of MAPs for trade, contributing 9.5% of the total cash income giving an impression that MAPs provide supplementary source of income. A total of 731.5 tons of MAPs, comprising 17 products (from 17 species) with total value of NRs 31.3 million (US$ 315,175) was traded from the district. Rittha (Sapindus mukorossi), tejpat (Cinnamomum tamala) and pakhanved (Bergenia ciliata) were traded in higher amounts, representing 356.5, 171.0 and 70.0 tons, respectively. The cumulative value of trade was highest for s...
The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural... more The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural areas along the Trans-Himalayan Silk Road and is an important source of revenue for the government of Nepal. Researchers estimate that the officially recorded export value of Nepalese MAPs is many times less than the amount actually exported. MAPs in Nepal are harvested by individuals mostly from the wild and are channelled through intermediate actors within a confusing policy environment. An official permit is required to collect ‘non-timber forest products’ and the Department of Forestry is responsible for regulating the MAPs trade in Nepal by issuing permits and collecting revenue. The hidden economy and informal practices are thus more likely to be used in sectors where permissions are necessary for harvesting, locally transporting, and exporting any commodity.
International Journal on Environmental Sciences, 2021
Journal of Ethnobiology, 2015
Abstract Rapid climate change in the Himalaya threatens the traditional livelihoods of remote mou... more Abstract Rapid climate change in the Himalaya threatens the traditional livelihoods of remote mountain communities, challenges traditional systems of knowledge, and stresses existing socio-ecological systems. Through semi-structured interviews, participatory photography, and repeat photography focused on climate change and its impacts on traditional livelihoods, we aim to shed light on some of the socio-cultural implications of climate related change in Manang, a remote village in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Western Nepal. Observed changes in temperature, precipitation, permanent snow cover, and glacial extent directly inform villagers’ perceptions of and adaptations to Himalayan climate change. Adaptation strategies include a shift from traditional agropastoral practices to a more diversified blend of agropastoralism, tourism services, and cash-crop production. Climate change has tipped the scales in favor of the production of fruits and vegetables, cash crops previously unsuitable to the local climate. Diversification of livelihood strategies signifies transformation within the socio-ecological system of Manang and may enable greater resiliency to long-term climatic change. Continued development of relevant, place-based adaptations to rapid Himalayan climate change depends on local peoples’ ability to understand the potential impacts of climate change and to adjust within complex, traditional socio-ecological systems.
Banko Janakari, 2017
Biomass and reproductive output are important functional traits that influence aspects of plant ... more Biomass and reproductive output are important functional traits that influence aspects of plant performance. Measurements of these attributes by harvesting plant parts are often destructive and impractical. Therefore, non-destructive methods, based on allometric relationships, have been recommended for measuring plant biomass and reproductive output, particularly in the ecosystems where plant harvesting is not very practical or feasible. Here, we assessed the variation in the traits related to vegetative and reproductive performance (including plant height, trunk diameter, canopy area, leaf biomass and number of fruits set) among populations of Juniperus indica distributed along an elevation gradient in Manang district of the north-central Nepal, and finally determined the allometric relationships addressing the leaf biomass and the fruit output. The distribution range of J. indica was divided into lower- (3,350–3,580 m), mid- (3,650–3,880 m) and higher- (3,950–4,250 m) elevation c...
Elevation gradients are complex involving different co-varying factors that influence plant popul... more Elevation gradients are complex involving different co-varying factors that influence plant population structure. Along the elevation gradient, subalpine forests are highly vulnerable to natural variation in climate as well as are also under high anthropogenic pressure. The present study aims to study habitat characteristics and regeneration status based on population structure of Juniperus indica, a common and highly useful species, along elevation gradient in Manang, north-central Nepal. The distribution range was divided into lower(3350-3580 m), mid(3650-3880 m) and higher(3950-4250 m) elevation bands, where populations were sampled in a total of 54 plots (18 plots per band) of 10 m x 10 m size. In each plot, we recorded aspect, slope and associated species, and number of individuals of studied species classified into seedling, juvenile and adult; and trunk diameter of adult individuals. Altogether, 88 plant species were identified. Plots in the lowerand mid-elevation bands mostl...
The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural... more The trading of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is a traditional means of livelihood in rural areas along the Trans-Himalayan Silk Road and is an important source of revenue for the government of Nepal. Researchers estimate that the officially recorded export value of Nepalese MAPs is many times less than the amount actually exported. MAPs in Nepal are harvested by individuals mostly from the wild and are channelled through intermediate actors within a confusing policy environment. An official permit is required to collect ‘non-timber forest products’ and the Department of Forestry is responsible for regulating the MAPs trade in Nepal by issuing permits and collecting revenue. The hidden economy and informal practices are thus more likely to be used in sectors where permissions are necessary for harvesting, locally transporting, and exporting any commodity.
Int J Environ Sci Nat Res, 2021
Despite a thousand years of history in Nepalese medicinal plant trade to China, no studies have y... more Despite a thousand years of history in Nepalese medicinal plant trade to China, no studies have yet provided a comprehensive overview of the trade from past to present. This study explores the history of the Nepalese medicinal plant trade with China, providing a complete overview of the species involved, their conservation status, and demand drivers. Accordingly, in this study the literature on Sino-Nepal trade relations is reviewed, government reports and data tracked, and interviews conducted with forest officials and exporters trading with China. This study documents 54 medicinal plant species previously (or currently) traded with China. The value of medicinal plants traded with China is worth more than three times as much as the volume exported in percentage terms. Twenty-six species fall into national or international conservation categories. The industrialization of Tibetan medicine, access to modern transportation for the supply of medicinal ingredients and products, globalization of the medicinal plant market, and high per capita income of Chinese people have resulted in consumer behavior shifting toward herbal medication and an increase in the Nepalese medicinal plant trade with China. To mitigate the depletion of resources caused by high demand of medicinal plants, immediate action is required to address trade sustainability as well as prioritize local traditional knowledge and resource-based industry for the substantial socio-cultural and economic benefits both to the local people and nation.
This technical report provides documentation for the approaches and data collection instruments d... more This technical report provides documentation for the approaches and data collection instruments developed to conduct a national-level empirical investigation of the trade in medicinal and aromatic plants in and from Nepal.
Rapid climate change in the Himalaya threatens the traditional livelihoods of remote mountain com... more Rapid climate change in the Himalaya threatens the traditional livelihoods of remote mountain communities, challenges traditional systems of knowledge, and stresses existing socio-ecological systems. Through semi-structured interviews, participatory photography, and repeat photography focused on climate change and its impacts on traditional livelihoods, we aim to shed light on some of the socio-cultural implications of climate related change in Manang, a remote village in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Western Nepal. Observed changes in temperature, precipitation, permanent snow cover, and glacial extent directly inform villagers' perceptions of and adaptations to Himalayan climate change. Adaptation strategies include a shift from traditional agropastoral practices to a more diversified blend of agropastoralism, tourism services, and cash-crop production. Climate change has tipped the scales in favor of the production of fruits and vegetables, cash crops previously unsuitable to the local climate. Diversification of livelihood strategies signifies transformation within the socio-ecological system of Manang and may enable greater resiliency to long-term climatic change. Continued development of relevant, place-based adaptations to rapid Himalayan climate change depends on local peoples' ability to understand the potential impacts of climate change and to adjust within complex, traditional socio-ecological systems.
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Papers by Arjun Chapagain