Mapping landuse change and major food crops production in Nepal: Applications for forest resource management

We analyzed the landuse change, quantify the area covered by majors food crops (Paddy, Wheat, Barely, Maize, Millet and Potato) and their productivity trends in Terai, Nepal from 1987 to 2006. We used series of area covered by each single crop and production data published by Government of Nepal, Central Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Our results indicated that the agriculture land has increased by about 47% while forest has decreased by 32% between 1964 and 2001 in Terai. Whilst the total cropped area has increased by 19% between 1987 and 2006. The highest incremental change has observed in Potato by 234% followed by Wheat 31%, Maize 20% and Paddy 12% and so on. However, data revealed with very low crops productivity and it showed less than half of its potential except in Potato. The average yield of food crops /hectare /year during last 20 year has found only 3.094 metric tons. Only Potato has gained high average yield by 10.34 metric tons. While others crops yielded entirely low. 3 periods moving average depicted that the productivity trend of Barely and Millet has stagnant while others crops showed slightly up and down and increasing steadily over time. Further study is needed to comprehend the linkage of food productivity in the present food supply to demand and food security system in Terai, Nepal.