Effect of Desertificati on on Livelihood of People in the Upper Mustang Region of Nepal

physioghraphy and climate. The Upper Mustang Region of Nepal is located in the trans Himalayan area and is categorised as cold desert. The Upper Mustang contains a wild landscape of eroded cliffs and hidden caves. Geographically and culturally it looks more a part of Tibet than Nepal. The area is characterised by inaccessibility . Mules, mountain goats, and porters are the only means of transport to the region. Jomsom is the district headquarters and is located in the south of the region. Most of the land in the area has little vegetation and can easily be eroded. Vegetation grow th is very slow. The people of Upper Mustang mostly belong to Bhotia - Gurung and Bista ethnic groups and speak a Tibetan dialect. Agriculture is the main source of livelihoods. The major components covered by the agriculture practice include cereal crops, a nimal husbandry, and cultivation of fruit and farm trees. The system is predominantly traditional and subsistence. It takes complete one year to harvest a single crop. Fuel wood is the only source of energy. The purpose of the study is to review the effe ct and impact of desertification on livelihood of the people in the upper Mustang Region of Nepal and share the challenges faced by the mountain people with the groups of intellectual community. Materials and methods The study has used rapid appraisal me thodology. For this study, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using various tools and techniques such as non - structural small - group interviews, and observation. Site selection In Nepal, availability of both quantitative and qualitative information is scarce. For this reason, the researchers first carried out a reconnaissance study of a few watersheds in the in the area for the study. Based on the reconnaissance study, the Ghyakhar Khola watershed was found to be the most representative watershed in the area. Management of the study