Miranda House

University of Delhi

AN AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGION
OF INDIA

presented by:

TISHYA RAVI JATHLEY

What is Agro-ecological zoning?
Agro-ecological Zoning (AEZ): Refers to the division of an area of land into smaller units which have similar
characteristics related to land suitability, potential production and environmental impact. An Agroecological
Zone is a land resource mapping unit, defined in terms of climate, landform and soils, and/or land cover, and
having a specific range of potentials and constraints for land use. An Agro-ecological Cell (AEC) is defined by
a unique combination of landform, soil and climatic characteristics. The AEC is the basic processing unit for
physical analysis in an AEZ study. The essential elements in defining an Agro-ecological zone (or cell) are the
growing period, temperature regime and soil mapping unit.
What is an Agro-ecological zone?
Agro-ecological zone is a land unit, carved out of climatic zone, correlated with landforms, climate and
the length of growing period (LGP). LGP refers to the number of days available for crop growth with
suitable conditions.

Agro-ecological zoning is the process of correlating the units of physiography, bioclimate, soilscapes
and the length of growing period. Each one of these aspects have a very wide number of classes and
subdivisions.

As we have seen that the Indian sub-continent exhibits a variety of landscapes and climatic conditions
which are noticeable in the types of soils and vegetation.

In the past, several attempts have been made to understand and classify the agro-climatic regions as well
as the Agro-ecological regions of India.

The Planning Commission of India, divided the country into 15 broad agro-climatic zones based on
physiography and climate :
Based on the four parameters which have been explained so far,
a) physiographic features,
b) Soil characteristics
c) Bio-climatic features
d) the Length of growing period

The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) is an organization under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
has divided the AECR into 20 regions.
METHODOLOGY
Miranda House
University of Delhi

AN AGR
 Need of AER

To assess yield potentialities of different crops,

crop combination in agro ecological
regions/zones.

To formulate future plan of action involving

crop diversification, disseminate
agricultural research and agrotechnology to
other homogenous areas.

To determine the crop suitability for

optimization of land use in different agro-
ecological regions/zones.
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL
REGIONS OF INDIA
1. Cold Arid Eco-region with Shallow Skeletal Soils
2. Hot Arid Eco-region with Desert and Saline Soils
3. Hot Arid Eco-region with Red and Black Soils
4. Hot Semi-Arid Eco-region with Alluvium Derived soils
5. Hot Semi Arid Eco-region with Medium and Deep Black Soils
6. Hot Semi-Arid Eco-region with Shallow and Medium
(Dominant) Black Soils
7. Hot Semi Arid Eco-region with Red and Bla6k soils
8. Hot Semi-Arid Eco-region with Red Loamy soils
9. Hot subbumid (Dry) Eco-region with Alluvium- Derived Soils
10. Hot Subhumid Eco-region with Red and Black Soils
11. Hot Subhumid Eco-region with Red and Yellow Soils
12. Hot Subhumid Eco-region with Red and Lateritic soils
13. Hot Suhhumid (Moist) Eco-region with Alluvium-derived soils
14. Warm Subhumid to Humid with Inclusion of Perhumid Eco-
region with Brown Forest and
Podzolic Soils
15. Hot Subhumid (moist) to Humid (inclusion) of perhumid Eco-
region with alluvium-derived soils
16. Warm Perhumid Eco-region with Brown and Red Hill Soils
17. Warm Perhumid Eco-region with Red and Lateritc Soils
18. Hot Subhumid to Semi-arid Eco-region with Coastal
Alluvium-derived soils
19. Hot Humid Pemhumid Eco-region with Red, Lateritic and
Alluvium-derived soils
20. Hot Humid/Perhumid Island Eco-region with Red loamy and
Sandy Soils .
WESTERN GEOGRAPHY OF
HIMALAYAS WESTERN HIMALAYAS

ZONE Western Himalaya refers to the western half of the

Himalayan Mountain region, stretching from
Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan/southern
Tajikistan, through India (Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand) to central Nepal.
The Jhelum River rises in the PirPanjal Range in
Jammu and Kashmir state, India, and flows
northwestward through the Vale of Kashmir before
entering the Pakistani-administered sector. The
highest point is Nanga Parbat (26,660 feet or 8,126
meters), at the northwestern end of the region.
Dalhousie, in Himachal Pradesh in the foothills of
the range, is a noted hill station.
MAPS OF WESTERN HIMALAYAS
Thynk
Unlimited
 Nomenclature
WESTERN
Thynk
Unlimited

HIMALAYAS "A13Eh1" A = Physiographical region (Western

Himalayas) 13 = Soil scape (shallow skeletal soil)

ZONE Eh = Hyper (Arid) bioclimatic zone

1= Length of Growing Period (<60 days), Thus the
whole unit is read as Western Himalayas, shallow
skeletal soils, hyper arid climate with LGP<60
days.
Western Himalayas, cold arid eco-region (A13E1):
Eastern aspect of Ladakh Plateau, cold, hyper arid
ecosubregion (ESR) with shallow skeletal soils,
very low AWC and LGP <60 days (A13Ehl).
 Bio-Climate
Features
Climate and Rainfall in Western
SOIL TYPES Himalayan Region
While Ladakh and parts of It shows great variation in relief. Summer season is
Lahaul and Spiti have mild (July average temperature 5°C-30°C) but the
skeletal, calcareous soils winter season experiences severe cold conditions
with alkaline reaction, the (January temperature 0°C to -4°C).
rest of the region have The amount of average annual rainfall is 150 cm.
soils which are shallow to Zonal arrangement in vegetation is found with
varying height along the hill slopes. Valleys and dons
deep loamy, forest and have thick layers of alluvium while hill slopes have
podzolic brown with thin brown hilly soils. The region is gifted with a
medium to high organic number of perennial streams due to high rainfall
matter and acidic in and snow- covered mountain peaks of which Ganga,
reaction. Yamuna, Jhelum, Chenab, Satluj and Beas etc. are
worthy of mention. These provide irrigation water to
canals and cheap hydel power for agriculture and
industries
Agriculture in Western
Himalayas
Rice is the main crop of this region which is cultivated in terraced
fields along the hill slopes. Maize, wheat, potato, barley are other
important crops . Temperate fruits like apple and pear etc. are
produced in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal
Pradesh. Similarly tea plantations have started in some areas of
Garhwal-Kumaun hills. The horticulture of the region is obsessed
with the problems of financial crisis, long gestation period, lack of
improved varieties of plants and high post-harvest losses (about
20 % in packing, storage, marketing and processing).The region has
favorable climatic conditions for growing temper ate vegetables,
flowers, and crops like ginger and saffron. In order to meet the
requirement of fuel and fodder, a total area of 30,240 sq. km will
need to be afforested in the next 10-15 years.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM
Food Security
and Climate
Change in
Himalayas
Climate change in Himalayas
The Himalayan communities rely heavily on locally sourced resources for their livelihood (KC et al., 2022). Agriculture is
predominantly subsistence-based, and the primary occupation for most of the population across all elevations is animal
husbandry (Ladon et al., 2023). In addition to farming and animal husbandry, small businesses, remittances, tourism, wage labor,
and the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFP) are crucial sources of income for the communities (Choudhury et al.,
2023).
However, CC poses substantial challenges to both natural resources and agriculture, leading to issues such as land degradation,
disruptions in water availability, losses in agriculture and livestock, and a reduction in the availability of non-timber forest
products (Asamoah et al., 2023). These challenges significantly affect the region's food security (Hussain et al., 2016).

A study in Nepal, for instance, reported that an increase in climatic extremes has impacted agriculture significantly through
decreased productivity, a reduction in cultivated land area, increased drought and water scarcity, and increased pests and
diseases in food crops (Shrestha and Nepal, 2016). The quality and quantity of NTFPs (Non-timber forest produce) such as
medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), wild fruits, wild vegetables, fuelwood, and fodder have been reported to suffer negative
impacts due to the rise in invasive plants, increased occurrence of extreme events, and natural hazards (Gurung et al., 2021).
 Climate change in Himalayas
Climate change is impacting microclimates in the Himalayas, in turn affecting crop suitability, productivity, and yield. A 30%
decrease in crop yield can be expected by the mid-twenty-first century in Central and South Asia, leading to lower income
and lower food availability , and ultimately contributing to food insecurity. Farmers throughout the Hindu-Kush Himalaya
have reportedly noticed a decrease in crop production and farm income as a result of climate change . A crop yield analysis
in Nepal showed that yield of maize, rice, and wheat would decrease by 2100 because of climate change, and that these
crops would benefit from being grown in higher altitudes as it would increase yield and nutritional value . Another study did
a crop suitability analysis in Nepal and found that suitability for 5 major crops (wheat, potato, finger millet, maize, and rice)
will decrease at lower elevations and increase at higher elevations because of climate change .
In addition, several studies recorded that farmers have begun cropping at higher altitudes as microclimates become suitable
for agriculture. Rasul found that fruit farming has increased in India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Nepal—indicating that they are
taking advantage of suitable climatic conditions at higher altitudes. Apples in Himachal Pradesh, India are now being grown
at over 3500 m elevation since 2014 because of warming temperatures . A land use study by Quasim et al. also recorded
agricultural expansion in higher altitudes in Pakistan. According to Poudel’s study of the Nhāson village in the Trans-Himalaya
region of Nepal, people are now growing apple, maize, and green vegetables in areas where they were not grown previously.
Farming at higher altitudes may become more common in the future as climate change progresses; thus, it is important that
research evidence is generated to inform policy that enable the right type of agricultural expansion –- is promoted in the
climate change driven agricultural frontiers in the high altitudes.
 Food insecurity
In the tallest mountain ranges in the world, researchers have documented at least 30 different ways in which farmers and
residents are adapting to food insecurity driven by climate change. Multiple studies have confirmed that the accessibility,
availability, and stability of food sources in the Himalayas are becoming increasingly precarious as global mean surface
temperatures rise.
A review of existing research on food security in the Himalayas found that climate change led to reductions in food productivity
and quality. It also found that climate change impacted food inflation, livestock, and changed dietary habits. “Most research on
food security has focussed on agriculture and crop productivity, but there hasn’t been a comprehensive, holistic review of every
dimension affecting food security, including access and nutrition, which is what this paper aimed to capture,” explained, Deepen
Chettri, lead author of the review paper and a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Around 210 million people reside in the Himalayas, which stretch across India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and China. Around a third
of the population living in the broader Hindu Kush Himalayan ranges are food insecure, and half are suffering from malnutrition,
with women and children worst impacted. “Since the 1990s, we’ve seen a shift away from traditional approaches to agriculture,
which hosted a variety of cropping systems, to a more narrow cropping system with less diverse crops, which has contributed to
food insecurity and malnutrition,” said Abid Hussain, a senior economist and food systems specialist at the International Centre
for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). “Apart from climate change, development of the region has also led to the drying
up of springs and streams which are a significant source of water for irrigation and agriculture.
 Challenges to food security
The Himalayas are one of the most vulnerable landscapes on earth to the impacts of climate change
and urban development. If efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial
levels succeed, it will still lead to an overshoot of an additional 0.3 degrees, reaching at least 1.8
degrees in the Himalayas, which holds the world’s third largest amount of glaciers and snow.
According to the latest reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the High
Mountains of Asia have experienced a reduction in snow cover and thinning of glaciers. Glacier mass
and snow cover are likely to retreat further with accelerated levels of global warming, the IPCC says.
The review paper, which looks at 55 English-language studies conducted between 2000 and 2023,
captures these impacts on food. The review systematically analysed the findings of these studies on
food availability (through crop production system, livestock, infrastructure for food supply and food-
based non-timber forest produce), food accessibility (income, price, physical access), food utilisation
(food safety, water safety, health) and food stability (extreme events, migration, conflicts).
The paper also reviewed the adaptation strategies documented in the 55 studies over the region,
finding that 30 different techniques have emerged to cope with food stress.
Close to 80% of studies documented reductions in food productivity of crops like rice, maize, wheat
and millets, while 48% indicated increasing crop damage due to pests, diseases, and invasive plants.
“Changes in climatic variables, especially temperature rise, facilitated the emergence of new types of
weeds and invasive plants in the region, affecting productivity and disturbing the whole crop
production ecosystem,” says the review paper.
 Challenges to food security
06
Around 15% of studies also documented reduced productivity of livestock. Heat stress among local breeds
of cows and yaks, and crossbreeds of yaks and goats, was identified as a major factor behind the reduced
productivity.
Disruptions to food stability in the region come from forced migration (reported in 27% of studies), human-
animal conflicts (reported in 15% of studies), and changes in dietary habits due to low agricultural output,
income irregularity, and price volatility, which “caused a shift from traditional dietary consumption to low-
cost market-based consumption,” (reported in 17% of studies).
“The changes in livelihood have significantly reduced purchasing power due to less profitability and
availability of livelihood options. This is further worsened by the challenges imposed by the increasing
frequency of climate extremes, destroying houses, properties, farm infrastructure, and other physical and
natural capital, compelling households to allocate additional financial resources to repairs, often reducing the
food budget,” the review paper says.
Urbanisation, development, and changing socio-economic circumstances in the Himalayas have also helped
bolster preferences for mainstream foods and crops which are not as nutritious, said Hussain. In the past,
buckwheat, barley, local beans and sorghum were all commonly grown but have been slowly replaced by
popular food items like rice, maize and potato. “Today, people think traditional crops are poor man’s food,”
he said.
Extreme weather events that frequently damage agricultural productivity have helped accelerate the
preference for mainstream varieties in the last 10 to 15 years, Hussain added. “These crops have a higher
market value and can give higher quantities in terms of yield, which can tide over a crisis,” he explained.
 Impact of climate change on food security and
agriculture in the Himalayas
1. The high mountain communities, including the Trans-Himalaya, are significantly more vulnerable to food
insecurity compared to lowland areas because they face low productivity, climate and terrain
limitations, natural hazards, poor infrastructure, difficulty accessing markets, and high production and
transportation costs, and experience higher rates of micronutrient deficiency.
2. Multiple studies noted a decrease in area under traditional crops in the Himalayas and Trans-Himalaya
as farmers adopted modern crop varieties in attempts in increase income from sales in the market.
Traditional and staple crops replaced by modern crop varieties include horse gram, buckwheat, millet,
soybean, sweet potato, barley, amaranths, chenopods, black pea, and potato. Many of these traditional
crops are adapted to arid climate and grows on marginal lands with poor soil fertility.
3. One study noted a connection between this transition to agricultural modernisation and the loss of
ecosystem services. Additionally, nearly a third of the literature ) used data collected from interviews to
determine how local farmers in mountain communities are perceiving and adapting to climate change,
including the seemingly maladaptive practice of modern crop variety adoption without discussing
agroecological transition potential, such as agroforestry and perennial cropping.
 Food security and modern varieties of cash crops
With the growing concerns of food availability and income, farmers have begun cultivating more modern
varieties of cash crops in an attempt to maximize farm income. Sharma et al. noted that the area under
traditional crops in the Sikkim Himalaya, including horse gram, buckwheat, finger millet, soybean, sweet
potato, barley, amaranths, and chenopods, has decreased by 50–60% since late 1970s. The same study
found that the area under staple crops including maize, rice, and pulses is also declining. Likewise,
buckwheat, hog millet, foxtail millet, and various other traditional crops are being replaced by potato
which is valued in the market . Traditional crops in the Trans-Himalaya such as barely, local potato, and
black pea are being replaced by modern cash crops . While the adoption of commercial crops may provide
some financial benefit in the short term, it can pose environmental risks . First, the traditional crops
mentioned above have high nutritional and medicinal value as well as high market value, and they are
even considered neutralizers of negative economic impacts of globalization and environmental change
because minor millet and beans are drought tolerant and adapted to less fertile soils . Thus, a reduction in
traditional crops has negative implications for financial security and food security. Second, increased soil
loss and run-off are associated with intensive cultivation of modern crop varieties, including commercial
potato farming . It is important that newly adopted agriculture systems in the climate change driven
agricultural frontiers work to mitigate carbon emission instead of contributing to it.
 INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN WESTERN HIMALAYAS

1. Sustainable Farming Practices: Promote organic farming and agroecological methods to maintain soil
health, reduce chemical use, and enhance biodiversity.
2. Water Management: Implement rainwater harvesting systems and efficient irrigation techniques, like drip
irrigation, to optimize water use, especially given the region's variable climate.
3. Crop Diversification: Encourage the cultivation of a variety of crops, including traditional and indigenous
species, to enhance resilience against climate change and pests.
4. Climate-Resilient Varieties: Develop and promote the use of drought-resistant and disease-resistant
crop varieties suited for the local climate.
5. Training and Capacity Building: Provide farmers with education and training on modern agricultural
techniques, sustainable practices, and market access.
 INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY IN WESTERN HIMALAYAS

6. Strengthening Cooperatives: Form or strengthen farmers' cooperatives to improve access to resources,

credit, and markets, allowing for better bargaining power.
7. Market Access: Improve infrastructure such as roads and storage facilities to ensure farmers can access
markets and reduce post-harvest losses.
8. Agro-tourism: Develop agro-tourism initiatives to provide additional income for farmers while promoting
sustainable practices and local products.
9. Research and Development: Support agricultural research institutions to study local agro-climatic
conditions and develop region-specific solutions.
10. Government Policies and Support: Advocate for government policies that support sustainable agriculture,
including subsidies for organic farming and investments in rural infrastructure.
Implementing a combination of these strategies can help enhance agriculture and food security in the Western
Himalayas while also addressing environmental concerns.
Bonn/Hamburg/Delhi/Kathmandu/Thimphu, 11th September 2024: In a landmark effort to scale up sustainable
agriculture in the Himalayan region, a multi-stakeholder consortium called 'the Himalayan Agroecology Initiative
(HAI)', has been established to strengthen the resilience of farmers in India, Bhutan and Nepal in the face the
climate crisis.
This multi-stakeholder initiative - backed by the global think tank 'World Future Council' and 'IFOAM – Organics
International' (a global network of organic farmers, processors, retailers, academics and researchers) -will
enhance biodiversity, support sustainable agricultural practices and foster stronger value chains.
The HAI partners will develop comprehensive and tailored roadmaps for the three countries through a series of
consultations and a national consultation in the capital cities of each country later this year. The final roadmaps
will be rolled out at an international conference in 2025.
"Establishing agroecology and sustainable food systems has been the core spirit of IFOAM, which we are excited
to upscale with the World Future Council and our partners in the Himalayan region to establish food systems that
are resilient to climate change and beneficial for smallholder farmers' livelihoods," said Ravi R. Prasad, Executive
Director of IFOAM.
Aiming to create a flagship for the expansion of sustainable food systems, the the Himalayan Agroecology
Initiative ​focuses on collaborative planning and stakeholder engagement, underscoring its potential to positively
impact the region's agricultural landscapes.
Thank You!
 REFERENCES
1. Emerging Farming Systems in Western Himalaya: A State Level Analysis of Sustainability Arnab Roy* and Uday
Kumar University of Agricultural Science, GKVK, Division of Agricultural Economics, India.
2. https://india.mongabay.com/2024/09/multiple-studies-flag-food-insecurity-as-a-threat-in-the-himalayas/
3. Roy, Arnab & Kumar, Uday. (2018). Emerging Farming Systems in Western Himalaya: A State Level Analysis of
Sustainability. 9. 10.19080/IJESNR.2018.09.555757.
4. The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT report
5. Sharma E, Sharma G, Liang L, Subba JR, Tanaka K. Sikkim Himalayan-agriculture: Improving and scaling up of the
traditionally managed agricultural systems of global significance. Resour Sci. 2009;31(1):21–30.
6. KC, K.B., Tzadok, E. & Pant, L. Himalayan ecosystem services and climate change driven agricultural frontiers: a
scoping review. Discov Sustain 3, 35 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-022-00103-9