Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Agrobiodiversity challenges and opportunities in Uttarakhand, Western Himalayas
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Short Communications | Published: 11 July, 2025
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Keywords: Agriculture, Crops, Diversity, Himalayas
Abstract
Agriculture has been the primary occupation of people in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) for millennia, playing a crucial role in sustaining local communities and promoting their well-being. Uttarakhand in west Himalaya harbors over 40 different crop species and hundreds of their local cultivars, grown and conserved through a variety of crop compositions and crop rotations along the wide altitudinal transects. This study employed a comprehensive literature review across multiple search engines to assess the region’s agricultural wealth with a special focus on current opportunities and challenges. The findings reveal the IHR’s rich and diverse agricultural resources, which significantly contribute to food security and cultural heritage. However, the region’s fragile mountainous terrain is increasingly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions, natural calamities, human-wildlife conflicts, poor market availability and supply chain posing challenges to sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Strengthening adaptive strategies is essential for preserving this invaluable ecological and cultural asset.
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Author Information
Department of Environmental Science, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, India