The demand from tourists for Rajma (red beans) has led to its cultivation, and greenhouses have been set up to meet the demand for tomatoes and green chilis, crops that were rarely grown earlier. We do not look for anyone to work for us .We do it ourselves. But now Sonam makes tea for visitors with cow’s milk since her yaks are far away in the forest. About Sikkim. The move away from apples to vegetables has worsened the financial security of people in this area. Most of the families have started hotels. The stories that emerged are now being published on thethirdpole.net as part of a special series to be published over the next few months. The growth, however, has been restricted because of biotic and abiotic factors. Now the snow is only ankle deep. Most of the families have started hotels. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Sonam, a homemaker, says, “Crops were normal this year and so was the harvest. This produce is also used in … Sikkim has the largest area and the highest production of large cardamom in India. Instead, as infrastructure has developed, many Bhutia families are now engaged in village tourism. Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Most of the families have started hotels. The farmers of Lachung-Lachen are apprehensive of the adverse impacts of climate change, with the fear of floods and landslides, as well as the poor yield of their crops, “Snowfall has been less and rainfall was also less than in 2016. He said the potato produce was 70% less in 2017 than in the preceding year. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Over the past few years the apple yield has fallen drastically. The Himalayan Adaptation, Water and Resilience Research (HI-AWARE) is a research consortium that has carried out scientific and participatory research to better understand the impacts of a changing climate in the region. Along with the hotel business the local inhabitants have diversified into growing vegetables. Paddy. We believe strongly that we can and must do things differently. She sat counting beads in a corner of her room, with the door left wide open for anyone to drop in and buy what is available in her small shop. Two sets of traditional pestle and mortar are used. For more information about how we handle your data, please read our Privacy Notice, Apple orchards are travelling up the mountains in Sikkim and elsewhere in the Himalayas, as climate change makes the lower slopes too warm, A house of a farmer in Sikkim [image by: Nita Narash]. Over the past few years the apple yield has fallen drastically. Though it is still categorised as a village, it is as big as any town in Sikkim. From farming silt on the banks of the Gandaki, to harvesting water through artificial glaciers in the mountains, these stories capture the innovative adaptation strategies people are using and that can serve as lessons for communities elsewhere. It is one of the areas most vulnerable to climate change, where temperatures are rising much faster than the global average. Among the chief crops grown in Sikkim are: Wheat Paddy Maize Barley Buck wheat Cardamom Potatoes Tea, etc. The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region is one of the world’s youngest, highest and most fragile mountain systems. Two sets of traditional pestle and mortar are used. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition. Instead, as infrastructure has developed, many Bhutia families are now engaged in village tourism. It is noteworthy that Sikkim produces the highest amount of … Pipon, an elected member of the local council, with his wife [image by: Nita Narash]. Most of it will be used as ‘makai chewra’, beaten corn. AGRICULTURE IN SIKKIM. Sikkim is blessed by a fertile land that largely supports agriculture. We do not look for anyone to work for us .We do it ourselves. Your email address will not be published. Butter and churpi (cottage cheese) made of yak milk is sold in the big towns of Gangtok or Kalimpong in West Bengal. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. “A Dhwaja (prayer flag) has been fixed by someone to stop the rain. The Himalayan Adaptation, Water and Resilience Research (HI-AWARE) is a research consortium that has carried out scientific and participatory research to better understand the impacts of a changing climate in the region. Women who were experts in weaving blankets, pangdens (part of a married women’s dress in the area) and carpets find that it pays little for the amount of work they have to put in. The winter was at its peak when I made my visit to the village of Lachung, in the Indian state of Sikkim, in 2017. Earlier yak tents and tails were sold to Tibet, but this is another trade that has disappeared as the border to Tibetan areas closed. Along with the hotel business the local inhabitants have diversified into growing vegetables. Required fields are marked *. All these organic crops have a high demand in domestic and …