PB Madhusudan Edied

NO.6, YEAR 2004 POLICY BRIEF Traditional Farming Practices and Farmers' Rights in the HKH Region Agriculture without independent and self- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ forest, 11 percent is covered under protected areas and responsible indigenous farmers will end up in severe five percent is used for agriculture. Over 150 million ecological disaster people representing scores of ethnic groups live within - Dr Toni Hagen this fragile and marginal landscape and another half a BACKGROUND billion inhabitants depend on its resources, downstream The Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is the larg- in the hinterlands. The region is primarily characterised est and most diverse mountain setting in the world, by richness in biodiversity and associated indigenous comprising 3500 km long complex landscape of moun- knowledge, antiquity of agriculture, niche opportuni- tains, plateaus, river gorges, and plains. The region in- ties and human adapted to harsh environments. cludes Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan, China's Xizang The economy of the region's hills and mountains is Autonomous Region, Western Sichuan, North West primarily agriculture-based. Farming systems in the Yunnan and Chengdu, the northern hilly region of HKH region present a mosaic of distinct agriculture Burma, Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, Indian and livestock production systems, representing various Himalayas, Bhutan and Nepal. This vast tract of land- agro-ecoregions. Pastoralism and agro-pastoralism mass includes such ranges and chains known as the ○○○○○○○○ cover a vast part of the HKH in the highland areas, Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Hindu-Kush, the notably in Tibet (China) and some northern areas of Hengduan Mountains, and the Tibetan Plateau. Pakistan, India and Nepal. In the sedentary farming The mountains in the region are young and fragile and dominated by food grain and mixed crop farming sys- in terms of land use 39 percent is pasture, 21 percent is tems, livestock play crucial role providing draft power, 1 manure, meat and milk. Shifting cultivation is prevalent ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ farming systems, thereby directly affecting their rights in the eastern Himalayan region—North-east India, and and livelihood options. In addition, in recent years, due bordering areas between China and Myanmar. Here live- to globalisation and the World Trade Organisation stock farming is a part of the livelihood of the shifting (WTO) system, new challenges are surfacing. Different cultivators. WTO agreements deprive farmers from enjoying their right to exercise traditional farming practices. Among Agriculture that includes production of cereals, grain the WTO implications on traditional farming practices legumes, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and spices; manage- and farmers' rights, the implications of intellectual prop- POLICY BRIEF ment of cattle, poultry, goat, sheep and pig; and pro- erty right (IPR) rules are most profound. This is also because WTO rules are binding. Countries, which are members or are seeking membership, are required to modify their national agricultural plans, policies and acts in tune with WTO rules, including IPR rules. The challenge lies in interfacing national interests while complying with WTO commitments. This is a very complex task for the HKH countries for two main reasons. The first reason relates to national strategy. Countries in the region have not developed adequate and proper policy instruments and legal mechanisms that respect and reward traditional farming practices duction of agro-forestry along with mixed cropping, and farmers' rights. The second reason relates to inter- mixed farming system and shifting cultivation signifi- national rules. Governments in the region are still not cantly contributes to food security in the mountain well equipped to understand WTO and its IPR rules, economy. Because of the varied ecosystem, off-season let alone capitalising them in the interest of farmers. vegetable production, quality seed production and or- At the international level, there have been some praise- chard farming have also tremendous potential. worthy initiatives in relation to the establishment and Notwithstanding these potentials, a majority of people enforcement of the international rules that call for the are deprived of basic necessities of the present day life. protection and promotion of traditional farming prac- Widespread poverty and food insecurity are their ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tices and farmers' rights. Among them, most significant major concerns. are the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Re- sources (IUPGR), 1989, the Convention on Biological Despite movements initiated to apply modern agricul- Diversity (CBD), 1992 and the International Treaty on tural practices and systems in recent years, traditional Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture farming practices still have intrinsic value in the agricul- (ITPGRFA), 2001 (discussed below). tural system of the region. They have been significantly contributing in maintaining a balance in the nature by INDIGENOUS MANAGEMENT OF promoting interdependence of agro-horticultural crops, forestry, animal husbandry and medicinal and aromatic AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES plants in the mountains. Farming communities of the Indigenous knowledge and traditional practices in the HKH region attach great value to the forest ecosystem agricultural systems have been in existence in the HKH as well as to the integration of livestock into the moun- region for millennia. Farmers with their practical knowl- tain farming system. The communities in the region have edge have developed several production systems suited been practicing traditional farming systems for harness- to marginal and fragile mountain environments. The ing ecological potential of land and conserving natural eco-friendly agriculture and sustainable soil management resources for millennia. These traditional practices not are practiced even in such harsh environments through only contribute to the development and advancement terracing, composting, mulching, mixed copping, mixed of farming systems but also help them meet their spe- farming, etc. cific needs of life. Traditional knowledge about plant species in the local However, much to the dismay of these mountain farm- communities has opened up the whole gamut of ethno- ers, the protection and promotion of such practices are botanical studies. An array of edible wild plant species not a priority for their governments. In the national plans from the forest is consumed as the sources of starch, and policies, they are, more often than not, ignored. protein, vitamins and minerals in rural life. Medicinal Countries in the region have not been able to devise and aromatic plants are collected from forest and used appropriate policy instruments and legal mechanisms for treating human and animal diseases and nutritional that protect and promote traditional farming practices. disorder. Rangelands and pastures are being managed Such a policy and legal constraint has severely limited for raising livestock in the high mountains. Farmers have farmers' freedom and their ability to practice traditional in depth knowledge about which plants are useful for 2 what purposes, when they can be used, where they can ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ production potential to contribute globally in sustain- be grown and from where they can be obtained. able utilisation of diverse mountain ecosystems. Farm- These farming communities have also good understand- ing communities are aware of the variability in micro ing of diverse agro-ecosystems in a watershed since niches and possess knowledge on the management and parcels under their possessions are scattered. Normally, use of the niche specific diversity. watershed contains large variations in terms of soil tex- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ture, fertility pattern, moisture regime, drainage, tem- perature, precipitation and vegetation. Management of In the present era, the tendency to ignore/underesti- POLICY BRIEF the variability, one of the important tasks in the agricul- mate traditional materials, methods and knowledge by the HKH governments and research and development tural system, is accomplished based on the experience agencies has severely affected the mountain economy passed from generation to generation and innovativeness in general and farmers’ livelihood in particular. The of the farming communities. They select crops (species gradual disappearance of local knowledge and tradi- diversity) and varieties (genetic diversity) to plant and tional farming practices is a common phenomenon. select seed for on-farm planting (ecosystem diversity). There is no respect and reward for farmers and their Use of compost and diverse cropping patterns are age- rights are ignored. Several credit schemes and market old practices in soil fertility management. Recently, com- forces act against local genetic resources and traditional binations of compost and farming practices. The genetic chemical fertilisers are also be- resources are being eroded par- ing used to optimise produc- ticularly in high production do- tivity levels. Farming commu- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ main of fertile valleys. Highly toxic and health hazardous nities have developed general chemicals are being used to con- perception about the combina- trol insect pests. tion that the compost enhances the efficiency of the inorganic Governments have not initiated fertiliser by reducing the

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