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Changing Production, Changing Consumption: Food System Transformation in Ladakh

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Environmental Change and Development in Ladakh, Indian Trans-Himalaya

Part of the book series: Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research ((AAHER))

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Abstract

In 2020, a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that 34% of the world’s mountain population was vulnerable to food insecurity. While Ladakh was formerly characterized as a subsistence economy, the region has witnessed rapid socioeconomic change in recent decades. This chapter analyses the resulting transformation of the food system and its contribution to dietary change in Ladakh. The study draws on a mixed method approach, which combines household surveys, qualitative interviews, and land-use analysis. The empirical research was conducted between 2007 and 2010, with a follow-up visit in 2017. Findings show shifts in agricultural production with a reduction of barley and wheat cultivation and an increase in horticulture. Food preferences and choices have changed as access to markets and off-farm employment have significantly increased income for many households, while a government scheme assures the provision of subsidised staples across the region. Overall, dietary diversity has increased but the marked seasonal variations in the availability of food remain a challenge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Juliane Dame

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  1. Juliane Dame
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Correspondence to Juliane Dame .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Researcher, Wildlife & Environment, International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS), Bangalore, India

    Blaise Humbert-Droz

  2. Department of Geography, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Juliane Dame

  3. Ladakh Arts and Media (LAMO), International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS), Leh, Ladakh, India

    Tashi Morup

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Dame, J. (2023). Changing Production, Changing Consumption: Food System Transformation in Ladakh. In: Humbert-Droz, B., Dame, J., Morup, T. (eds) Environmental Change and Development in Ladakh, Indian Trans-Himalaya. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42494-6_12

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