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West District - A
profile |
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The entirely
mountainous
state,
Sikkim with
a
geographical
area of
7,09,600
hectare
bounded by
the
international
border in
the east,
west and
northern
part is
predominantly
agrarian.
Agriculture
and allied
sectors is
the mainstay
of majority
rural
populace of
the state.
Only 1, 10,
000 hectare
has the
operational
holding, out
of which
only 79,000
hectare of
land is sown
and the
figure is
ever
decreasing.
The economy
of the state
is linked
with
agriculture
that serves
as the
source of
livelihood
and economic
security of
sizeable
native
population.
The state is
blessed with
suitable
climatic
conditions
for
production
of many
agriculture
&
horticultural
crops and
livestock.
However, the
obstructed
growth in
agriculture
is sometimes
attributed
to the hilly
topography,
soil
acidity,
excess
moisture
during
monsoon
period and
moisture
stress
during post
monsoon /
winter,
heavy weed
infestation,
low
temperature
stress
during
winter,
occurrence
of hailstorm
in pre-kharif
season
(March-
April), and
incessant
rain from
May to
September.
All these
favours high
incidence of
diseases and
pests that
drastically
reduce the
crop yields.
Moreover,
Sikkim could
not avail
the benefit
of the first
three five
year plans
before the
merging of
the Sikkim
as a state
of the
country.
The state,
all along,
runs deficit
of food, the
expected
population
of 2015 on
the basis of
decennial
growth is
7.52 lakhs
and the food
deficit
would be
even more
alarming
needing
143400
tonnes of
food grain.
There is an
urgent need
to increase
the
productivity
of different
crops for
attaining
self-
sufficiency
in cereals,
pulses and
oilseed
production
for food
security.
Increasing
horticulture,
livestock,
and poultry
and fish
production
bears equal
importance
for
improving
the economy
of the
farming
community
and to
supplement
more
nutritious
food.
The farming
systems
practiced in
Sikkim are
integrated
in nature
that have
evolved
through
years of
experimentation
by the
farmers and
withstood
the test of
time. A
marginal
improvement
in the
lifestyle of
the farmers
has been
witnessed
with the
adoption of
modern
technologies.
The state
being
endowed with
a fragile
ecosystem
and the
government
policy on
organic
farming, the
development
in
agriculture
should be
the
sustainable
and
eco-friendly.
The
agriculture
growth in
the state in
the
sustainable
manner is
again the
factor of
the
effective
technologies
and the
scientific
information.
Infusion of
the
efficient
human
resource in
the
extension
system is
urgently
needed for
effective
transfer of
technology
and the
capacity
building of
the farmers,
which are
otherwise,
have been
the matter
of concern
in the
state.
In this era
of
globalization,
making
agriculture
a commercial
venture is
another area
to be
addressed.
There lies
the great
challenge
ahead for
policy
makers,
agricultural
scientists,
extension
system of
the
government
and other
stakeholders
to make
Sikkim self
reliant on
rural
economy and
food
security
thus
protecting
the farmers
from
international
competitors.
The
agriculture
development
in the
district (as
in the state
too) can’t
possibly
achieve
without
recognizing
the role of
farmer’s
participatory
approach for
formulating
strategies
and finding
solutions to
new and
emerging
problems.
Similarly
due to
globalization,
trade in
agriculture
is expanding
and the
districts
like West
Sikkim can
hugely
benefit. The
trade in
organic
farming is
also
expanding
and the
farmers here
can hugely
benefit from
it as the
state is
already
declared
Organic. Our
farmers
start making
best use of
the
expanding
market for
organic farm
produce not
only by
becoming
primary
producer but
also by
becoming
secondary
producers of
agri-commodities.
The economic
reforms and
globalization
coupled with
other
factors like
fast
urbanization,
rising
incomes and
changing
food habits
are paving
the way for
commercial
farming and
subsidiary
occupations.
Food demand
will go up
not purely
because of
population
rise but
also because
of more
requirement
of cereals
as animal
feed.
Although in
districts
like West
Sikkim
productivity
of the
different
crops is not
making
significant
growth but
still there
is no reason
to believe
that
agriculture
productivity
can’t be
raised. New
developments
in organic
farming,
approaches
DATA BASE
ON RESOURCE
SUPPORT
SYSTEM, WEST
SIKKIM
like
integrated
farming
system and
new
technologies
like
resource
conservation
with due
emphasis on
indigenous
technical
know-how,
upgradation
of existing
stock of
animal, and
establishment
of hi-tech
horticulture
unit in
possible
region will
help us to
face new
challenges
in
agriculture
development.
Krishi
Vigyan
Kendra, a
bridge
between the
farmers and
the
scientific
fraternity,
under
umbrella of
Indian
Council of
Agriculture
Research (ICAR),
has been the
most
important
tools for
rural
transformation
in
agriculture
and allied
sectors
since its
inception.
Food
Security and
Agriculture
Development
Department,
Government
of Sikkim
has hosted
such a
Kendra at
Geyzing,
West Sikkim
coordinated
by Zonal
Project
Directorate,
Zone-III
under ICAR,
Barapani,
Umiam, (Meghalaya).
Several
meetings and
brain
storming
sessions of
the KVK
personnel
with
Honourable
Zonal
Project
Director
have felt
the need of
preparing
the
documents
based on the
primary data
and the
participatory
rural
appraisal.
The document
need to
address the
real gap in
adoption of
technology,
to assess
the
development
in the
district, to
draw the
extension
and research
strategy
based on PRA
analysis and
to document
the
indigenous
practice
followed by
the farmers.
The
conceptualized
documents
would in
turn act as
the decision
support
system for
all the
stakeholders
of
agriculture
and rural
development.
In this
context to
the above
text the
document was
created with
the
following
objective.
1.
Documentation
of
development
scenario of
agriculture
and allied
sector
2. To
analyze the
existing
farming
system
3. To
analyze gaps
in
productivity
of
agriculture
&
horticultural
crops,
livestock,
poultry and
fisheries.
4. To draw
the
extension
and research
strategy for
agriculture
development
in West
Sikkim.
5. To
recommend
specific
projects to
be
implemented
in the
district
based on the
PRA.
6. To
Document
indigenous
agriculture
practices
followed by
farmers
within the
district.
1.2.
Methodology
for
preparation
of document
The approach
followed in
preparation
of the
document was
necessarily
of
Participatory
Appraisal
mode. The
KVK
personnel
has done
several PRAs,
especially
for drawing
the
extension
and research
strategies
and the
recommendation
made in the
documents.
The primary
and
secondary
data were
collected
from the
Food
Security and
Agriculture
Development
Department,
Horticulture
Development
Department,
Department
of Animal
husbandry
and
Directorate
of
Fisheries.
Time to time
discussion
with
officials of
above
departments
was also
made.
1.3.
Expected
Outcomes
The
document
will provide
a better
understanding
of current
agriculture
situations,
constraints
and existing
technological
gaps in West
Sikkim
The
document
puts forward
an insight
to identify
the
development
opportunities
and
potentials
of
employment
generation
in
agriculture
and allied
sectors.
The
document
will support
the state
government
in its
effort to
develop
agriculture
and allied
sector
reform
policies and
action
plans. |
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Copyright
@ 2009, All Rights Reserved Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Gyaba,
Gyalshing, West Sikkim |
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