Micro-watershed-based farming systems for sustainable livelihood in eastern Himalayan hill ecosystem

Abstract

The hilly mountains of eastern Himalayan region of India are endowed with bountiful natural resources of land, water and vegetation which in turn provide a great scope for growing a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural crops besides, animal husbandry and fishery. Agriculture in the hills especially in Eastern Himalaya Region (HER) of India traditionally has been Jhum (shifting) in nature. Over the past decades, due to increasing human population, the Jhuming cycle which extended to 20-30 years in older days, has now been reduced to 3-6 years. This has resulted in reduced farm output, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and increased land denudation. Moreover, the impact of climate changes like increase in extreme events (heavy rain, frost, cold wave, drought etc.) is further contributing to challenges of sustaining hill agriculture. In this regard, micro-watershed based farming system, viz. Integrated farming system (IFS) or Integrated Organic Farming System (IOFS) under farmers participatory mode is a viable option to enhance
the production, employment and income through scientific integration of several components like crops, vegetables, fish, live stocks and others. A judicious mix of agricultural enterprises like dairy, poultry, piggery, fishery, sericulture etc. suited to the given agro-climatic conditions and socioeconomic status of the farmers would bring prosperity in the farming.