Mountain production system analysis - A case study from Chalumthang, South Sikkim, India

Encompassing an area of 7096 km(2), Sikkim is located between East 88 degrees 03' 40" to 88 degrees 57' 19" longitude and North 27 degrees 03' 47" to 28 degrees 07' 34" latitude in the Eastern Himalayas on the eastern side of India. This entirely mountainous state has altitude range from 300 m to 8598 m above mean sea level (amsl) with variations in climate from tropical to arctic. The Study area, Chalumthang, a micro-watershed encompassing 198 ha is located between 88 degrees 28' 08" to 88 degrees 29' 07" E longitude and 27 degrees 12' 40" to 27 degrees 13' 19" N latitude in the district of South Sikkim, India. This study was undertaken with the objectives of assessing the socioeconomics, production system functioning, and identification of merits, constraints and future potential of Chalumthang in the district Of South Sikkim, India. Chalum Thang was chosen as a representative example of a micro-watershed of the mountain sub-tropical agro-ecosystems. All 134 households were surveyed to document information on the various components of the production system. The acidic soils were well supplied with macro and micronutrients. The production system was characterized by soil instability, loss of topsoil, degradation of good agricultural land, shrinking of catchments of river systems, use of traditional cultivars of crops under low input situations, absence of winter irrigation and bank credit facilities, rearing of low yielding livestock, good homesteads and a cropping intensity of 115 percent. Collection of wild edibles and forage during the lean period (December to March) was observed. Stall-feeding was common and required 32,200 quintals ha(-1) of fresh forage per annum and 7000 q annum(-1) of firewood extracted from the nearby forests as the only source of energy generated considerable pressure on the natural resources. Only about 25 percent of the residents earned more than Rs. 15,000/(US$300) per annum. The low input production system was ecologically healthy and provided opportunities for conversion to organic farming.