Bio-diversity

Jumla district is rich in nom-timber forest products (NTFPs). But many of the important species are threatened and/or in the verge of extinction due to lack of proper production and harvesting approaches. Jumla is one of the most inaccessible and remote districts in Nepal which is still way behind in terms of social and economic development when referring to the human development index. The average age of people of Jumla is 44 years, which is 11 years less than the national average. It takes a minimum a week`s walk to access the area from the nearest roadhead at Surkhet. The only fastest means to get Jumla is aeroplane which is rare and unaffordable to majority of the locals. Natural resources exploitation mainly NTFPs is the major problem in most of the poverty-ridden communities. The project aims at conserving and managing valuable NTFPs for sutainable livelihoods. The project will also specifically address the livelihood and social problems of so called underprivileged communities alongside with the alpine biodiversity conservation measures. Medicinal plants are one of the major exporting commodities. Thus the project plans to demonstrate domestication of the rare but high valued medicinal plants in order to alleviate the socio-economic condition of the Jumli people.

Nepal