1. ROLE OF CASTE SYSTEM TO AGRICULTURE IN NEPAL
Presentation by
Parshu Ram Rimal
M Sc (Ag Econ)
University of Hohenheim

2. 2/19 Source: http://www.trekinnepal.com/nepal/people-in-nepal.html

3. Outline Background Introduction : Caste system
When and how caste system introduce in Nepal?
Is it the caste system that influenced to prevent smallholder agricultural growth?
Case study on caste and crops
Caste system today
My personal experience
Conclusion
Take away message
References
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4. Background
Area : 1,47,181 Sq. Km
Population: 26,494,504 – 81%Hindu, 9% Buddhist, 4% Islam, 1% Christian (CBS, 2011)
Agriculture: GDP share – 38%, Average land holding : 0.68 ha, 65% peoples’ main earning source (CBS, 2011)
Source:
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5. Introduction: Caste system
Source:
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6. Major ethnic groups/caste in Nepal
(CBS, 2011)
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7. When and how caste system introduce in Nepal?
It is generally held that Hinduism brought about the concept of caste system in society
In fact, king Jayasthiti Malla did impose a caste-system in Kathmandu in 14th century based on peoples’ occupation after consultations with five Indian Brahmins
Then, caste system was continuously practiced in the society
Source:
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8. When and how caste system introduce in Nepal?
King Malla introduced legal code (Muluki Ain) that divided Nepalese people into 4 different hierarchies Subedi, M. (2010)
Tagadhari (Caste wearing sacred thread) – Brahmin…
Matawali (Alcohol drinking Castes): Magar, Gurung…
Impure but touchable castes : Kusle (musician), Kasai (butcher),…
Untouchable castes: Kami (black smith), Sarki (shoemaker), Damai (tailor) , Pode (fisherman), Badi (musicians)…
Brahmans were not entitled to any kind of punishment by law and other castes were treated differently
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9. Is it the caste system that influenced to prevent smallholder agricultural growth?
Farming in urban and semi urban area is being considered as profit seeking business but it is still subsistence type mostly in rural areas1
It is still unclear that whether the basic reason for continuing traditional agriculture is the outcome of thinking influenced by hierarchical caste society1
Hierarchies based on purity and pollution is inadequate to address the reality of caste as it fails to recognize access to land and political power Singh H. (2008)
1 = Source:
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10. Case study on caste and crops – Jagannath Adhikari
Cultural Perspective
Bahunism - people with this ideology hate hard work or any manual work, but prefer idleness with the belief that it is the low castes who have to work on the soil. Bista, D. (1994)  
Responsible for the decline in agriculture
- Lack of development of capitalism in agriculture in Nepal
- Hierarchic caste system is not conducive for work ethic, hard work and a tendency to save which could be ploughed back into the economy
- Training on agriculture is considered as a way to get a salaried job, and an escape from manual work of touching the soil
Source:
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11. General decline in Agriculture – different perspectives
Geographical-demographic perspective
- Declining access to resources due to population growth and land degradation
Difficult geography making it hard for the development of basic infrastructure and marketing facilities
political-economic perspective
- Unequal distribution of resources and power , the rent-seeking behavior of the landed class, state’s irresponsibility, failed planning process and the external forces destroying local farming
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12. Underlying facts
Political-economic factors are more responsible for the decline of agriculture.
For example, the government has not prioritized agriculture in terms of budget allocation
Government is spending only about 2.5 to 3 percent of its budget on agricultural sector
Basic infrastructures were not developed and continuous support for farmers was not provided
The land reform, which is considered a prerequisite for agricultural development, could not take place due to lack of political commitment
Source:
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13. Caste system today
Caste based discrimination is formally abolished since 1963 in Nepal (World Bank 2006)
Caste based power relation still exists in the country but it has been changed as compared to previous time 1
Many groups have agriculture as their traditional occupation. Yet, these groups may claim higher than one another. In this case, other factor assist to rank them like: land ownership, wealth, education…1
Brahmins maintained by priestly work are small and most of them are cultivators and hardly distinguishable from others1
So, high status in caste by no means always correlated with high economic status1
With the increasing impact of modernization, religious practices are not important part of peoples’ social life1
1= M. Subedi (2010)
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14. My personal experience
There is still caste based hierarchical classification which is more prevalent in rural settings as compared to urban areas although caste based discrimination is punishable by law
Caste based social structure is more prevalent in western part as compared to eastern part within the country
At present, higher social status is the outcome of the education and economic gain rather than ascribed caste based power structure
There is very rare labor wage differentiation based on caste but active participation of lower caste group in resource management, decision making and benefit sharing level is still a challenge
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15. Conclusion
Caste is not today what it was before 1950; and it has not become completely class or replica of it
It is the fact that a dominant caste has not necessarily a part of the dominant class
New divisions and differentiations have been giving rise to new antagonism and social norms and power relation is being established based on wage labor on land
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16. Take away message
Although, caste system still prevails in Nepalese society, it has very limited role in the growth of agriculture sector but we cannot say it has zero contribution to agriculture development and in a society .
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17. Thank You for Your Attention!!!
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18. Questions for Discussion:
What is your view on “Role of caste system on agricultural development” ? Do you think caste system is conducive or in against for smallholder agriculture growth?
Why society still practice caste based social structure although the discrimination based on caste is abolished in policy level and punishable by law?
Do you think modernization / globalization in the context of market liberalization assist to limit the role of caste based power structure in a society?
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19. References
Bista, D. (1994). Fatalism and Development: Nepal’s Struggle for Modernization (pp. 1–29).
CBS, 2011 available at :
Singh, H. (2008): The real world of caste in India, Journal of Peasant Studies, 35:1,
Subedi, M. (2010). Caste system: Theories and practices in Nepal. Himalayan Journal of Sociology & Anthropology, 4, 134–159
World Bank. (2006). Unequal citizens: gender, caste and ethnic exclusion in Nepal. The Library Quarterly (Vol. 59).
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