The changes in the cropping pattern from subsistence to paddy and wheat crops gained momentum in the 1970s when the green revolution first took place in India. A vast area of agricultural land was devoted to wheat, paddy, pulses and oilseeds crops with excessive use of chemical fertilisers and experimental seeds. This national trend of intensive cultivation was also adopted in the Garhwal Himalaya, though not to the same degree. The farming community largely transformed their cropping land mainly in the valley regions and mid-slopes. The cropping pattern, which was characterised by the dominance of millets with high crop diversity, changed into the cultivation of paddy and wheat which dominated the valley regions and mid-slopes. Subsistence crops still grow in the highland areas. Fruits are abundantly cultivated in the temperate belt between 1,200 m and 2,200 m. The main fruits grown are apples, citrus, stone and nut fruits. Cultivation of off-season vegetables is a recent trend. While potato is largely grown in the highlands, onions, tomatoes, beans and other vegetables are grown in the valley regions and mid-slopes. These practices of cultivating various crops have been based on trial and error for centuries, as there is no stable farming system prevalent in the region. The present study discusses the changing cropping pattern in the Garhwal Himalaya.
