Abstract for: Integration of Resilience Markers framework into Socio-Ecological System: Case Study of Agriculture in Dadeldhura, Nepal

The concept of Resilience Markers (RM) (Back et al., 2008) has been commonly applied in organizational sciences to identify beneficial markers, behavior or actions that enhance the resilience of a system. However, such frameworks have yet been applied in a Socio-Ecological System (SES) framework (Ostrom, 2009) as an formal investigation of system resilience in an SES context. Herein, we explore how RM can be integrated into an SES system by applying it the case study of the recent shift in agricultural trends in Dadeldhura, Nepal. Through system dynamics modelling, we reveal the provision of irrigation systems to only support profitable, yet drought-vulnerable, vegetable production results an over-reliance on growing cash crops. To mitigate the effects of climate change on the resilience of the agricultural system, we recommend policies in support of the production of diverse drought-resistant cereals crops and promotion of ecological awareness.