Declining Large-Cardamom Production Systems in the Sikkim Himalayas: Climate Change Impacts, Agroeconomic Potential, and Revival Strategies

Ghanashyam Sharma,D R Dahal,Durga P Sharma,Uma Partap,Eklabya Sharma

doi:10.1659/mrd-journal-d-14-00122.1

Ghanashyam Sharma, D R Dahal + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd-journal-d-14-00122.1

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Abstract

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) is an economically valuable, ecologically adaptive, and agro-climatically suitable perennial cash crop grown under tree shade in the eastern Himalayas. In Sikkim, India, the focus of this study, large-cardamom production peaked early in the 21st century, making India the largest producer in the world, but dropped sharply after 2004; Nepal is now the largest producer. This crop is an important part of the local economy, contributing on average 29.2% of the income of households participating in this study. Farmers and extension agencies have worked to reverse its decline since 2007, and thus, there is a steady increase in production and production area. After reviewing the literature, we carried out extensive field research in 6 locations in Sikkim in 2011–2013 to investigate the causes of this decline and measures being undertaken to reverse it, using a combination of rapid rural appraisal, participatory rural appraisal, structured questionnaire, and field sampling techniq...

Highlights

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) is the most important perennial cash crop in the eastern Himalayan region (Sharma et al 2000)
The agroclimatic range of large cardamom farming is similar to the altitudinal range of Himalayan alder (Alnus nepalensis) and mixed agroforestry species, which are widely used as a shade trees (Sharma et al 1994)
The agricultural economy in the Sikkim Himalayas is largely based on high-value cash crops, of which large cardamom is the most important

Summary

Introduction

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) is the most important perennial cash crop in the eastern Himalayan region (Sharma et al 2000) It is used as a spice or condiment, flavoring agent, and preventive and curative agent for sore throats, lung congestion, digestive disorders, and pulmonary tuberculosis in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine (Sharma et al 2009). This crop is believed to have been first domesticated by the indigenous Lepcha tribe and by other communities such as the Bhutias and Nepalis of Sikkim, and was later passed on to the neighboring district of Darjeeling in India and to southern Bhutan and eastern Nepal (Sharma et al 2000; Sharma et al 2007). For more than a decade (2004 onwards), more than 60% of the cardamom plantations in Sikkim have become barely productive, resulting in a tremendous decline in cultivated area as well as total production in the state (DESME 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010; HCCDD 2010).The income of marginal and cardamom-dependent farmers in the eastern Himalayan

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