This paper describes the rice growing environments and status of indigenous rainfed and aromatic rice landraces in Pokhara Valley of Nepal. Rice is grown as staple and
cash crop in the study area. More than 75 Jandraces have been reported by the farmers, of which only 11 are popular, area under 4 7 landraces is decreasing over the
years while 17 have already been lost from the valley. Landraces diversity as recalled by farmers ranged from 5 to 24 over sites however, the number at present ranged from 4 to 16. Study revealed that farmers grow four types of rice; coarse (26), fine (13), fine aromatic (12) and coarse aromatic (2). A range of landraces are grown for
different purposes such as home use (38), festivals (18), selling (14), guests (12), medicine (7) and. for other uses such as preparing breakfast foods as siraula, latte,
bhujiya (14). Farmers have identified landraces suitable for favorable (14), stressed (23) environment and for wider adaptation (12). Farmers consider a number of
parameters to evaluate Jandraces and present study has documented 16 such criteria. Grain and straw yields are found to be the major criteria, however, farmers modify selection criteria depending upon the production objectives.<br>

The study indicated that landraces have not yet received proper attention for their promotion and conservation at local or national level. The potential danger of genetic
erosion of those valuable resources could have far reaching consequences in future food security issue. Therefore, alternative options to tackle the problem have been
suggested. Seeds of the landraces have been collected for their promotion and conservation.

Key words: Diversity, Environment, Aromatic rice, Landraces, Seti River Valley
(SRV), Farmers