The economy of South Asia has grown rapidly in the past two decades, with the number of low-middle income earners increasing in Sri Lanka, India, and Bhutan. However, South Asia still has the largest concentration of people, more than 500 million, living on less on $1.25/day. In Nepal and Bangladesh, a significant percentage of the population remain in poverty despite the rapid economic growth of neighboring countries.

The potential for change in Nepal is great in terms of income level, gender equality, and livestock productivity. At the same time, climate change impacts in the country are predicted to be significant in certain regions. The LCC CRSP funds research in regions in Nepal that are vulnerable to climate change, have high levels of poverty, and have a significant percentage of the population relying on livestock holdings of goats, sheep, water buffalo, and/or poultry as part of their livelihood.

Livestock-Climate Change CRSP Research in South Asia

• CALVN: Past and Future Climate Assessments of Livestock Vulnerability in Nepal
• LLCCI: Livestock, Livelihoods and Climate Change Interaction: Collaborative Research in the Mountains of Nepal
• SLPS: Capacity-building and Strengthening of Livestock Production Systems While Adapting to Climate Change in Nepal

In 2010, the LCC CRSP funded pilot projects in Central Asia

• FORT: Enhancing livestock production systems in Tajikistan to mitigate potential impacts of climate change
• REMM: Increasing adaptive capacity of Mongolian livestock herders under a changing climate through rangeland ecosystem monitoring and community-based conservation