Abstract
Zanskar lies in a mountainous region, and only agricultural activities are the prime source of livelihood and economic system for most communities. It requires a lot of effort to document traditional inherent knowledge of various farm activities in this region. Method of agricultural system inherits from old generation to new generation. This article is based on community observation and primary study in the field. Agricultural activities in this region are limited only for 5 months in a year, i.e. May to September. It has been observed that the region’s agricultural activities were based on the traditional system. The use of modern fertilizers and technology is rare. Farming is based on self-subsistence and not on market. The prime crops are barley, wheat, pea and vegetables. Mixed farming is typical characteristic of the area. Agriculture is dependent on animals and vis-a-vis. landholding size in the area in small and agricultural activities carried in the limited available land, i.e. on alluvial fans. Farming in this region is 100% dependent on irrigation. At the village level, water resource management for irrigation is done in a traditional way. Water resources are distributed to the entire household equally for irrigation purposes. Water is supplied through a small canal from the main stream known as yura.
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Notes
- 1.
Is a small canal used for irrigation purpose.
- 2.
Is a kind of transhumance activities performed in Zanskar.
- 3.
Is a unit to measure land by revenue department, which is one-eighth of an acre.
- 4.
Is a kind of local brew.
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Tandup, C. (2022). Traditional Method of Farming and Land Resource Management in Zanskar Trans-Himalayan Region: A Case Study of Zanskar Sub-Division, Ladakh, India. In: Rai, S.C., Mishra, P.K. (eds) Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Resource Management in Asia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6_11
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