ABSTRACT
Nepal has always had either too much water or too little. Lately, erratic monsoons are leading to agriculture failure and in turn, adding to pre-existing outmigration from rural Nepal. Families in Phulbari and surrounding villages in the Kavre district are selling off their land and moving to cities and the Tarai. Others have their menfolk in the Gulf or Malaysia. Drying of perennial springs, particularly after the 2015 earthquake has also meant that rain-fed dairy farmers are unable to make a living in the village. These challenges have added to the drudgery of women. But in some ways, it has also empowered them in that women-led households have found ways to adapt. They are reviving a network of traditional ponds to recharge groundwater, deploying drip irrigation, and practicing rainwater harvesting. Dalits are also disproportionately affected by the water crisis because of the location of their homesteads on the drier south-facing slopes. But community members irrespective of their background and class have come together to find ways to develop local solutions to mitigate the impact.
