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One of my fondest childhood memories is of the summer nights in Tadi, Chitwan, when the rice fields were alive with the mesmerizing glow of fireflies (Junkiri). Their blinking lights illuminated the darkness for miles, and we would chase them, trying to capture their beauty in small bottles. The simple joy of those nights filled us with energy and wonder. But when I returned to my old home, I found the fireflies gone, and the summer nights were no longer lit by their glow. I remember my grandmother’s stories of how the fireflies' lights made the frogs croak and summoned rainfall, adding magic to the night. Now, with their disappearance, I long for the wonder they once brought.

Often mistaken for flies or worms, fireflies belong to the Lampyridae family, making them relatives of ladybugs and dung beetles. While over 2,200 species are known worldwide, only three have been documented in Nepal: Luciola cruciata, the most common, Diaphanea marginellus, and Luciola ovalis, recently spotted at 2,000 meters in Kavre. Found in the plains and mid-mountain valleys during the monsoon season, fireflies serve as crucial indicators of ecosystem health, as they are highly sensitive to light pollution and environmental changes. Sadly, a general bias against insects and nocturnal species has hindered awareness and conservation efforts, even though fireflies play an essential ecological role. Protecting these unique creatures is vital to preserving the natural beauty and balance they bring to Nepal’s night skies. Their absence is not just a loss of magic, but a sign of a changing world that needs our attention.

Life cycle and special feature of fireflies

Fireflies undergo a fascinating life cycle, beginning as eggs laid by females underground. Both the eggs and larvae are capable of emitting a soft glow, similar to the light produced by adults. After hatching, the larvae spend one to two years underground, feeding on snails and slugs, before transforming into pupae. Once they emerge as adults, they have only 2-3 weeks to mate and lay eggs before their life cycle ends. One of their most remarkable features is their ability to produce light through bioluminescence, a chemical reaction in a special organ beneath their abdomen. This ‘cold light’ makes fireflies one of nature’s most efficient light sources.

Flashing activity of fireflies

Between June and April, male fireflies put on synchronized light displays as part of their courtship rituals, emitting unique patterns specific to their species to attract females. The glowing males, visible in the dark, are answered by the soft glow of the females, who respond when they find a suitable mate. These flashing patterns not only facilitate mate identification but also serve as a defense mechanism, warning predators that the firefly may be toxic or unpalatable. This dual role of attraction and deterrence makes the firefly's light display crucial for both survival and reproduction, turning the night into a mesmerizing stage for nature’s intricate dance.

Reason behind their decline

The decline of firefly populations can be traced to the growing shadows of modern life—light pollution and pesticide use. In the past, the nights were theirs to command, their soft glowing signals filling the air with magic. But now, the world is flooded with artificial light that disrupts the natural harmony of the night. Forests and shrubby habitats, once rich with the gentle flickers of fireflies, have been dimmed by the unyielding glow of city lights. This excess of light robs them of their ability to communicate, their flashing lights no longer able to pierce through the growing glare. Researchers estimate that this disruption has led to a 50 percent decline in their dazzling displays.

Adding to this darkness is the loss of their homes. Urbanization and agricultural expansion are encroaching on the fireflies’ delicate habitats, stripping away the places they once called home. Pesticides, too, have seeped into the soil, poisoning the very environment that fireflies need to survive and reproduce. The beautiful dance of light that once brightened the night is now fading into the distance, a bittersweet memory of a world that is slowly losing its glow.

Why conserve them?

Imagine summer nights without the soft, magical glow of fireflies, leaving the fields and forests strangely empty, devoid of the tiny lights that once filled us with wonder. Fireflies are more than just beautiful; they serve as nature’s messengers, signaling a healthy environment with clean water, balanced habitats, and minimal pollution. Without them, we lose more than their glow—they help control harmful pests through their larvae, reducing the need for chemical pesticides, and they pollinate plants, maintaining biodiversity. Beyond their ecological importance, fireflies inspire art, stories, and joy, adding charm to summer nights and creating cherished memories. Losing fireflies is not just a loss of magic, but a reminder of what happens when we fail to protect the natural wonders that enrich our world.

To conserve fireflies, Nepal must prioritize the protection of its biodiversity. Before undertaking development or construction projects, thorough assessments of their impact on local ecosystems and wildlife are essential. Government initiatives should promote natural ecosystem fostering and integrate environmental considerations into development agendas. Additionally, the excessive use of artificial light threatens fireflies by disrupting their bioluminescent signals, which are crucial for attracting mates. To mitigate this, using amber-filtered LED bulbs instead of white LEDs can reduce light pollution, helping to protect firefly habitats. By combining these efforts, we can ensure that fireflies continue to light up our nights, preserving their magic for generations to come.

Lesson from other countries

Nepal can also take inspiration from other countries like Taiwan , home to around 65 firefly species. Taiwan has embraced these luminous insects, not just as symbols of biodiversity but as opportunities for education, conservation, and community growth. There, firefly exhibition centers stand as beacons of awareness, and firefly viewing tours during the mating season draw people from all walks of life to witness nature’s magic. Taiwan has not only conserved these delicate creatures but uplifted local communities through eco-friendly initiatives. These inspirations could be taken and implemented to bring sustainable tourism and livelihoods to rural communities, fostering a deeper connection between people and nature.

Call for action

The fading glow of fireflies in Nepal is a stark reminder of the urgent need to protect our natural heritage. These enchanting creatures are more than symbols of beauty; they are vital to ecosystems and our cultural identity. By conserving their habitats and raising awareness, we can ensure fireflies continue to light up our nights and inspire wonder for generations to come.

This is a call to action for communities, policymakers, and nature lovers alike—let us work together to protect fireflies, foster sustainable practices, and reignite our connection with nature. The time to act is now, before their light dims forever.

Family has long been regarded as the cornerstone of society, shaping people’s values, aspirations, and resilience. Today, single-parent households and nuclear families represent two prominent structures, each with its unique challenges, dynamics, and strengths. Here, ApEx spoke to three parents about the challenges of raising children, whether alone or together. 

Suraj Lama, 34

I believe when two people are raising a child it fosters emotional development and resilience through balanced responsibilities. In my case, I provide security and guidance to my child and my wife cares and nurtures. We work as a team and raising our child is a collaborative effort. When both parents are present, the child doesn’t have to deal with unnecessary social biases as this structure is accepted as ‘normal’. I think the impact is gentler on children. With single parents, it might also sometimes be difficult to give the same level of attention because of time and financial constraints. I’m not saying single parents can’t raise children. Of course, they can and they might even do a better job than a couple but it can definitely be taxing. There can be unnecessary stress for both parent and child. 

Ambika Bhandari Subedi, 36

I think raising a child in a two-parent household is generally easier and more effective than in a single-parent setup. A two-parent family provides emotional balance, with both parents contributing to the child’s development. In single-parent families, the absence of one parent can lead to feelings of loneliness, anger, or depression, as the child may lack exposure to a cooperative family dynamic. Social biases can further complicate matters, with children from single-parent families often facing stigma or judgment. Financial and caregiving challenges are also more significant for single parents as they must manage everything alone. In contrast, shared responsibilities in two-parent households create stability, offering better opportunities for the child’s education and future.

Sita Laxmi Twayana, 46

I have lived in Bhaktapur all my life and I have been raising my child alone. It’s an incredibly challenging journey. Managing everything—financially and socially—on my own has been tough, especially during times of scarcity. It was difficult for my child too, but I prioritized their education, ensuring they received the best I could provide, even in unfavorable circumstances. Today, they are excelling academically and pursuing dreams that align with my aspirations for them. I have instilled strong norms and values, and I believe they will achieve great things in life. However, the scorn and criticism I faced as a single parent were hurtful and it still pains me when I think of it. I hope my child and others in similar situations never have to endure such prejudice.

Nepal where Tarai competes with hills 

Hills compete with mountains 

Mountains compete with Himalayas 

Himalayas compete with clouds 

Clouds compete with airplanes- 

Ascending step by step-

To make it into heaven

From where become visible

The Icebergs dancing in the sea of clouds!

All corners, cleavages and crescents 

Are waiting there to be explored,

Lakes, rivers and rivulets

Are waiting for splashes to occur,

Chirpings of birds and sounds of waterfalls 

Are waiting to be heard,

Meditative yoga, murmuring mantras 

And third eye postures

Are waiting to imbibe energy,

A rainbow ribbon stretched east to west

Shrunk north to south,

Oh, all blessed

By diversity of people, flora and fauna

And Bestowed with the gift of

The highest mountain and the deepest gorge!

Gifted by diverse cultures,

Multilingual and multi racial compositions,

Endowed with three inclusive state governance,

And two neighbours

With fast growing economies!

Having said all these

We are still

An economically backward country

Needing to be transformed

Into a state of prosperity 

Acting as bridge between

Giant neighbours India and China, 

And international tourism flourishing 

In this dear land of the Buddha!

Hisila Yami

Former Minister for Tourism and Aviation

The Indian state of Odisha and India’s northern neighboring country Nepal are both seats of rich culture and are deeply rooted in heritage based on Hindu and Buddhist culture with close religious links. As the most populous country on the planet each state in India is a country in terms of numbers. Odisha is nearly 1.5 times Nepal in terms of its population. Strikingly, both Odisha and Nepal are heavily dependent on agriculture, highly vulnerable to climate change,and—being migrant donors—have experienced stand out reduction in poverty.  

Here are a few more common threads between Odisha and Nepal. Odisha recorded the largest reduction in poverty among India’s major states. Based on NITI Aayog’s 2023 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report, the multidimensional poverty rate in Odisha decreased from 29.34 percent in 2015-16 to 15.68 percent in 2019-21. Nepal also made substantive progress in reducing MPI from 30.1 percent in 2014 to 17.4 percent in 2019. This progress suggests that Odisha and Nepal are headed in the right direction. However, in both cases, regional disparity based on geography and economic status and social identity and nutritional deprivations remain among the most significant contributors to MPI.

Given the structure of the economy in both Odisha and Nepal, a generalized reduction in poverty could be attributed to increased income from agriculture and its resilience. Having endowed with good cultivable lands, both have huge potentials to overcome poverty through agricultural development. As Odisha hosts an international high level policy forum in Bhubaneshwar for accelerating inclusive agriculture transformation on December 20th, it poses the question what does it mean for south-south learning and cooperation in our neighborhood? The agriculture transformation pathways are largely similar but the methods could be different and subject to learning.  

In the one and a half decade since 2000, agriculture in Odisha grew faster than the average of Indian states (4.5 percent versus 3.1 percent). Samrudhi agricultural Policy, 2020, aimed to capitalize on this momentum by focusing on social and economic wellbeing of the farmers (including sharecroppers and landless) while aiming to ensure the growth process as environmentally, economically and technologically inclusive. Nepal’s focus on rural transformation, for example in the Samriddi project, also aims to diversify the range of economic activities for rural households through promotion of self-employment and small businesses and microenterprises. Both these approaches emphasize the role of diversification and market linkages along with technology as key drivers of transformative strategies.

One of the primal policies has been digitization in agriculture. Inter alia it accounted for monitoring and information about several interrelated factors such as weather, inputs, policies that bear on agricultural outcomes. This mandated data collection and curation on multiple fronts. In 2017, Odisha created a data management system involving multiple sources that generated comprehensive real time data required for agri-food systems planning and execution. The decision support system also built in monitoring systems for projects and programs. With the comprehensive span of data and in real time, this portal became a valuable tool for inclusive agricultural transformation analytics and assessment. Something akin to this has been attempted in Nepal as Geo Krishi. In situations like those in Odisha and Nepal, there are multiple missing markets (credit and insurance), thus rationalizing bundling to provide for different needs. At a system level, for inclusive agricultural transformation, there have thus been bundled products.

As identified the main issue plaguing agriculture and its transformation have been the markets. The digital data platforms must get the scientific measure of market access which requires assessing all possible trade links (domestic, international, regional as a system) and trade costs. There are common products like cotton that are of relevance to both Nepal and Odisha. These platforms with their reach should be used for market exploration and monitoring of risks embedded in volatility brought about by market access. Most importantly they could be used for value chain integration where the Indian state like Odisha and India’s friendly neighboring country Nepal can position themselves in the value chain based on comparative advantage i.e. whether to specialize in raw cotton or yarn or fabric or apparel. Geographically proximate, in cotton and other products Odisha and Nepal could be benefited by becoming part of GVC. If tropical fruits from Odisha were to be processed in Nepal and apples from Nepal were to be processed in Odisha based on their comparative advantage, it would bring significant gains for both trading partners.

How policies have an attenuation or reinforcement effect on market access need to be assessed. The system of pricing in states has a direct spillover effect on other Indian states and Nepal. A system of goods and services tracking through formal and informal systems. Being part of linked value chains will also become the pathway for flow of information and knowledge. Having a similar transformative role of agriculture in poverty reduction and adoption of innovative platforms, the next frontier is to employ them for markets. Used as a risk management tool will facilitate the move towards inclusive agricultural transformation for both Odisha and Nepal where pivot for inclusiveness is managing risks as nothing differentiates and excludes more than a shock. The policy should emphasize the development of enabling market factors such as warehousing and quality testing infrastructure. These changes inter alia are risk-mitigating arrangements and the extent to which they absorb risk are by designing systems for inclusiveness.