Local institutions in Ladakh, India: community-based resource management in mountain agropastoralism

This study analyses the status and challenges faced by traditional institutions in natural resource management in the Trans-Himalayan region of Leh-Ladakh, India. Employing mixed methods, including informal interviews, field observations and focus group discussions, it examines the roles of local institutions like goba, lorapa and lurhupa in preserving the traditional agricultural system. Rapid urbanization due to market forces, acculturation, livelihood changes and policies is minimizing reliance on traditional practices. Increasing population further undermines the relevance of these institutions. Participation decline and shifts from consensus-based to rotational selection methods are observed. Altered dietary habits, crop-livestock changes and improved socio-economics impact the structure, role and future of these systems in resource management. Ensuring their continuation is crucial for sustainable resource governance, particularly in fragile ecosystems like Ladakh.