Abstract
The Askote conservation landscape is located in eastern Kumaun in the state of Uttarakhand of India and bounded by the international border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the Peoples’ Republic of China in the north. It represents an enlarged version of the Askote Wildlife Sanctuary, encompassing the peripheral villages and landscape, which are part of the adjoining Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve . Of a total land area of about 4463 km2, only about 103 km2 or just 2.31% of the area is cultivated land. The present study however, confines itself to the summer habitations of the Bhotiya community residing within the valleys-Darma , Vyas and Johaar , and delves into the factors that sustain the very livelihood of the stakeholders. Trade with Tibet and the factors associated with its maintenance (agriculture and livestock) were the prime occupation of Joharis and Darmis tribesman until 1962, when the Sino-Indian war brought an immediate end to this thriving lifeline. The loss of trade brought about drastic changes in the transhumant lifestyle-fewer households arriving at their summer homes, a smaller livestock population, near disappearance of traditional handicrafts, and increased exploitation of wild medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), with traditional crops being replaced by more remunerative crops such as chives (Allium stracheyi) and caraway (Carum carvi) as the chief source of livelihood, as in the case of Johaar valley. During the last decade and half, Yartsa Gunbu (caterpillar mushroom) has saliently brought about a change in not just the socio-economy of the landscape, but also in dilution of the socio-cultural norms defining their lifestyle. The present study discusses the causal factors behind changes in the lifestyles of these traditional people, inclusive of the causal factors behind the decline in transhumance , of traditional crop diversity, finally the salient aspects of Yartsa Gunbu exploitation, and concludes with proposals for possible alternatives for a sustainable future for these people.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial help received from Dr. Naseem Ahmad, Director, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Paryavaran Bhawan, New Delhi. The study however, would not have been possible without the help of the village residents for reposing their faith and sharing the information.
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Negi, C.S. (2017). The Changing Socio-economic Profile of the Shaukas and Rangs Vis-à-Vis Loss of Agro-Diversity, and Yartsa Gunbu: A Case Study of the Askote Conservation Landscape, District Pithoragarh, Kumaun Himalaya. In: Chand, R., Nel, E., Pelc, S. (eds) Societies, Social Inequalities and Marginalization. Perspectives on Geographical Marginality. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50998-3_11
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