Sustainability of Agro-pastoralism in Highlands of the Trans-Himalaya: Transformation in 200 Years

Harshita Joshi^1*, Subrat Sharma²and Prachi Joshi³

¹Department of Botany, Indira Priyadarshini Government Girls PG College of Commerce, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India,

²Dean Research Studies, University of Ladakh, Leh, Ladakh (UT), India.

³Assistant Professor, Swargiya Shri Jai Dutt Wailla Govt. P.G. College Ranikhet, Almora, Uttarakhand, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail:joshiharshita452@gmail.com

Abstract:

Being located in the historical silk trade route of Central Asia, the agro-pastoral practices in combination with trade and commerce have been an age-old unique feature in the trans-Himalayan landscape of Ladakh. Agriculture in Ladakh, “the cold desert”, differs from the mainstream Himalayan regions in having almost no forest support and severe climatic constraints which allow cultivation only in irrigated fields during summer months. Based on the secondary literature and field-based ground truthing through repeated surveys, this study gives an overview of the (i) main features of traditional agro-pastoral system of Ladakh, (ii) environmental constraints, and (iii) transformation in practices due to socio-political changes. The agro-pastoralism in Ladakh includes the (i) cultivation of a mix of agronomic (barley, wheat, pea), horticultural (apple, apricot) and fodder crops (alfalfa) in irrigated field using glacial melt water and underground channels in lower areas (2700-3500 m asl) during summer months, and (ii) pastoralism in higher areas (above 3500 m asl). The local communities use animal dung, human faeces and leaves to prepare manure to fertilize crop field soil. The frequent conflicts and wars, rapid increase in tourism, introduction of Public Distribution System (PDS), and formation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh have substantially affected agro-pastoral system of Ladakh and the age-old culture based on community-level cooperation and reciprocity. The external changes include the development of army-based settlements and infrastructures, strengthening of transportation facilities, transition from traditional to cash crop cultivation, collapse of trade, shrinkage of Changpas’ pastures, and shifts of salt collection from Tibetan lakes to Tso Moriri lakes. The tourism (since 1974) has transformed the primary sector-based economy (the contribution of primary sector being 84.65%) into the one dominated by tertiary sector (the contribution of tertiary sector being 71.02%) within a few decades. Concurrently, the PDS system has contributes to the changes in food consumption choices of local communities, and to the loss of interest in managing age-old agro-pastoral system. The abandonment of farming and pastoralism have already begun. Given the remoteness and security sensitivity of the region self-reliance for food could be important and not to be comprisable issue.

Keywords:

Agriculture; Agro-pastoralists; Ladakh; Traditional Practices; Trans-Himalaya

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