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[

] 79

Mountain family farming: past and prospect

Dr Anil P Joshi, Founder, Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization

Past: Food dependence pattern of community

on local resources

Traditional Himalayan crops were well suited to climatic conditions

and the nutritional needs of local communities

Source: HESCO

Present: Dependence pattern of community

on local resources

Changing consumption patterns have meant the loss of essential

micronutrients, leading to several physiological disorders

T

he Himalayan mountain ecosystem is unique in

the world. Not only is its topography distinctive;

its culture and social-economic structure are too.

Himalaya is also characterized by its fragility, inacces-

sibility and marginality, and these features have an

impact on the agroecosystem, which is distractive but

uneconomical too. The majority of farms (95 per cent)

are small and marginal. A family farm cannot be identi-

fied as an exclusive piece of land for farm produce only.

It is a product of forest, collective human efforts and

local cattle. Since family farming in Himalaya is ecolog-

ical in nature, aggressive cultivation is not permitted.

The climate in the Himalayan mountains changes within a

short distance, and thus ecological variability enables rich

crop diversity. Lower and higher altitudes are enriched

with a variety of climate-specific crop species. This forms

the major strength of the mountain family farm: the lower

productivity of the family farm is compensated by the

ability to produce special crops which others cannot grow.

In the Himalayan system, the ideal farm model must be

ecologically sound. Because of the region’s fragility and

vulnerability, intense mechanization is not permitted as

the ecological losses would outweigh agricultural outputs.

The majority of land in the region is rain-fed and climati-

cally suitable crops with low agri-inputs are more suitable.

In fact, the mountains also have a major responsibility as

a watershed for natural resources. Therefore, agriculture

does not only serve local communities, but also has an

ecological responsibility for the nation. Ecological crop-

ping is important in the region, and family farming is the

best fit for this model.

About 2.5 million people residing in the North Mountain

region of India live under stress. Their agriculture land

is highly depressed with wide fragmentation. Fragmented

landholding has been a major setback for mountain farmers.

A family may hold cultivated lands in many places, making

it difficult for them to practice. In addition, in the recent

past, family farm productivity has been paralysed due to

the invasion of wild animals, especially monkeys, wild boar

Himalayan

Family Farm

Wild fruits

10%

Vegetable fruits

and pulses

20%

Millets

40%

Cereals

30%

Merits

Optimum nutritional status

Stong immunity and resistance

Demerits

Hotspot for micronutrient deficiency

Osteoporosis

High incidence of anemia and vitamin deficiency

Prone to cardiovascular

Community

Vegetable fruits

and pulses

15%

Millets

10%

Wild fruits

1% or nil

Cereals

75%

D

eep

R

oots