by Anchal Kashyap and Priscilla C Ngaihte
In recent years, Himachal Pradesh has diversified from traditional food grain cultivation towards high-value cash crops, particularly temperate fruits such as apples, pomegranates, and stone fruits in mountainous regions. The transition not only reshaped the region’s agricultural landscape but also improved the income of farming households in the state. The process was further accelerated by the state’s committed intervention, which included improved means of transport and a rapid technology adoption process.
The state’s nature of purity and pristineness, often associating its cultivators with their isolation from modern agriculture, started to shift with the percolation of horticultural crops. Although the region was initially isolated from the Green Revolution and synthetic inputs, these modern agricultural practices began to reach the hills by the 1990s, marking a tectonic shift in crop cultivation. The change in cropping patterns towards increased fruit cultivation slowly led to a decline in traditional food grains, which, among others, were known for their nutritional diversity, drought resistance, and medicinal properties. However, it has been observed that practicing fruit cultivation has become more challenging for people primarily due to the changing climate and rising prices of agricultural inputs, among other factors.
The hill state, marked with geographical isolation, historically derived its nutritional needs from food grain cultivation. An overall decline in food grains not only compromises the health and well-being of the people but can also lead to a dependence on external markets to meet nutritional requirements. Therefore, there is an urgent need to restore and prioritize traditional practices of cultivating food grains native to the state.
The region’s land fertility is influenced by various factors: topography, rock structure, climate, soil composition, and native streams. This environment has historically supported the cultivation of high-quality grains and millets such as Koda (finger millet), Kangani (foxtail millet), Kanak (wheat), and Ogla (buckwheat). Additionally, crops like amaranth, tur, bathua, barnyard millet, barley, and linseed have thrived in this region.(1). The farmers often relied on organic resources like leaf litter and organic manure for farming and on rainfed conditions prevailing in the region. These crops, staples for thousands of years, met the nutritional needs of the local populations. Under the rule of independent landlords, or Rajas, agriculture was considered primitive and was dependent on grains. The land revenue system was less complicated owing to the limited cultivable land available.
Under the British Raj, the state witnessed a shift towards the cultivation of commercial fruits as well as initiating modes of transportation in the hill regions. Emanuel Stokes set up the first orchard in the Shimla Hills, transforming the state’s agriculture. Over time, farmers transitioned from cultivating food grains and vegetables to primarily growing apples. Additionally, state intervention in establishing agricultural markets in the early 1990s created an organized market structure, further supported by improvements in transport and communication. These changes enabled farmers to fetch better prices for temperate fruits, significantly improving their living standards.
Gradually, this transition also marked a shift away from traditional knowledge of organic cultivation. An increase in synthetic inputs, including fungicides, fertilizers, and insecticides, along with artificial hormones known as Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), resulted in soil degradation. Additionally, as farming becomes more market-dependent, farmers become divorced from their own means of production and reliant on external agencies to raise crops.
Therefore, it is crucial to reintroduce traditional grains that are more compatible with the local geography. This can help farmers diversify their food baskets and income sources, enhancing sustainability and resilience. Additionally, agricultural practices in mountain regions should harmonize modern techniques with traditional methods of raising crops. This will not only aid in enhancing soil health but also help preserve the native crops, which is crucial to ensuring the nutritional diversity of the local population. To integrate economic and nutritional goals, diversified farming systems should be encouraged, where cash crops are grown alongside traditional food grains.
Soil is the bedrock of productive agriculture, and using organic manure along with bio-pesticides has been proven to preserve soil health. States like Sikkim, which has become India’s first organic state, have effectively combined traditional farming practices with modern nutrition and pest management techniques. Additionally, farmers are incentivized through the issuance of organic certificates to practice organic agriculture.
Himachal Pradesh has also launched several initiatives to support sustainable agriculture. Programs like the Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kissan (PK3) Yojana play a vital role in facilitating farmers to promote natural fertilizers and reduce the use of synthetic ones. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) also aims to promote location-specific improved agronomic practices through soil health management, enhanced water use efficiency, judicious use of chemicals, crop diversification, and progressive adoption of crop-livestock farming systems. Integrated approaches, including crop-sericulture, agroforestry, and fish farming, to create more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.
Growing commercial crops while promoting traditional food grains should go hand in hand. Although the demand for high-value crops is rising, the interest in organic foods, including millet, is also increasing among urban consumers. The state can bank on this trend by creating backward and forward linkages, benefiting the economy while preserving traditional food grains.
Organizations like the Kangra-based Sustainable Agriculture, Forest, and Land (SAFAL) are some of the non-governmental based initiatives working on reviving and strengthening traditional agricultural practices. Additionally, Paryavaran Avam Gramin Vikas Sansthan (PAGVS) in Solan, formed by a group of dedicated youth, is also promoting organic farming practices in remote areas. These initiatives demonstrate that sustainable and traditional farming can coexist with commercial agriculture, ensuring economic growth and nutritional security.
Initiatives by organizations like SAFAL and PAGVS highlight the potential for sustainable and organic farming practices to coexist with commercial agriculture. There is still a long road ahead, but by adopting a balanced approach that integrates high-value crops with the cultivation of traditional grains, we can achieve economic prosperity without compromising the health and well-being of local communities.
In conclusion, as high-value crops continue to replace traditional food grains and cultivation practices, there is a risk of adverse impacts on soil health and the food basket if not managed carefully. Hence, there is a pressing need to restore and integrate traditional and modern farming practices to ensure food security and enhance the economic viability of mountain communities that depend on agriculture.
Anchal Kashyap and Priscilla C Ngaihte are PhD Scholars, Jindal Global University, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
