Changing Traditional Land use Patterns in the Great Himalayas: A Case Study of Lahaul Valley
G. S. Singh
S. C. Ram
J. C. Kuniyal
DOI: 10.2190/6451-T2JN-0N11-R0J1
Abstract
Little is known about indigenous land use techniques and agricultural technologies hidden in the vale of Lahaul in Himachal state, in the northwestern Himalayas. the area is inaccessible by road for seven months most years due to heavy snowfall. Agricultural tasks are carried out in only one cropping season, the rabi season (summer cultivation). Until recent decades, agricultural practices were traditional, with high crop diversity. Recently cash crops such as potatoes, peas, and hops have gained favor. As a result, the diversity of staple food crops as well as "wild" cash crops has decreased rapidly. Yet one cannot ignore the improvement in socioeconomic status of many farmers (except marginal farmers) brought about by handsome cash crop yields. Government subsidies intending to promote cash crops have been reduced. the large numbers of marginal farmers have suffered the most from the cutbacks, since they can hardly afford expensive high-yield variety seeds, inorganic fertilizers, or pesticides. Cultivation has reached a transition phase, from a solar-powered indigenous system to a solar-powered exogenous system. On account of a shortage of suitable low-lying agricultural land in the area, people are now cultivating on > 45° slopes, which has caused heavy landslides. Since the whole area is cold and arid and falls within a rain shadow zone, it is crucial to upgrade existing earthen water irrigation channels. Tourism is considered to be a promising means of raising the income of the marginal farmers, as a supplement to traditional crops. We argue that the traditional systems need to be revived in a scientifically informed collaboration of administrators, planners, and local people, under a participatory, integrated management approach designed for long-term sustainability.
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