ERODING TRADITIONAL CROP DIVERSITY IMPERILS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL HIMALAYA

The subsistence agricultural systems of the Central Himalaya harbour a huge variety of traditional crops and cultivars. However, a recent su rvey conducted in 150 different villages located along an elevational transect of Alaknanda catchment of Central Himalaya reveals that over a period of two decades (1970-74 and 1990-94) the cultivated area unde r many traditional crops has declined precariously due to various reas ons. Many crops are facing danger of complete extinction and consequen tly the ecological and economic security of the traditional farming sy stems of this region appears to be in jeopardy. Linking traditional cr ops with economic development of hill farmers through value addition a dopting the traditional and modern appropriate technologies may be the suitable strategy to conserve these crops in-situ.