Sikkim Himalayan-Agriculture: Improving and Scaling up of the Traditionally Managed Agricultural Systems of Global Significance

Abstract

Sikkim Himalaya is a part of globally significant biodiversity hot spots of the world within the greater quadri-national junction of Khanchendzonga landscape in the eastern part of Himalayas. The Sikkim Himalayan-Agriculture system is recently proposed for recognition under the FAO Globally Important Agriculture Heritage System programme（GIAHS). The region is an assemblage of sacred landscapes called Demazong（the valley of rice）or the Shangrila（the hidden paradise on earth . This culturallandscape is endowed with rich agrobiodiversity adapted and managed through traditional ecological knowledge of the culturally diverse ethnic communities. It comprises of trans-Himalayan agro-pastoral system of the Dokpas in the alpine plateaus，traditional agroforestry such as aldercardamom and farm-based systems in the temperate zones，and terraced/valley rice systems in the lower warm temperate to sub-tropical agroclimatic zones. It is paradoxical that culturally and biologically diverse land use systems and landscapes are marginalised. The development opportunities are enormous but persistent problems of poverty，access to markets，economic and ecological fragility are prevalent.