Agriculture of Sikkim for Sikkim PSC

The economy of Sikkim is linked with Agriculture of Sikkim that serves as the source of livelihood and economic security of sizeable native Population.
The Growth, however, has been restricted because of biotic and abiotic factors.
It is estimated that over 80 per cent of the rural population depends on agriculture and allied sectors for economic, food, and nutritional security.
The agriculture systems practiced in Sikkim are integrated in natures that have evolved through years of experimentation by the farmers.
A marginal improvement in the lifestyle of the farmers has been witnessed with the adoption of modern technologies.
Sikkim State has some inherent strength that largely supports Organic Farming.
The policies and programmes on organic farming, in tune with our natural endowment envisage making Sikkim a Model Organic State.
The march towards organic farming has led to substantial departmental intervention.
A large number of initiatives have been taken by the Agriculture and Horticulture-2/”>Horticulture departments.

Area, Production and Productivity in Agriculture of Sikkim 2015-16

Crop	Area (000’ hectares)	Production (000’ tones)	Productivity (kg./ha)
Rice	10.67	19.69	1845.25
Wheat	0.32	0.35	1071.21
Maize	38.96	68.31	1753.56
Finger Millet	2.85	2.91	1020.33
Barley	0.45	0.47	1055.93
Buckwheat	3.57	3.47	972.27
Pulses	5.67	5.38	948.85
Oilseeds	6.94	6.31	909.75

Rice

Cultivation of rice requires hot and moist Climate.
It is a Kharief crop and is sown in March-April and harvested in Autumn.
Sufficient water must cover the fields.
Temperature: Rice requires hot and humid conditions. The temperature should be fairly high i.e. 24°C mean monthly temperature with Average temperature of 22°C to 32°C.
Rainfall: Rainfall ranging between 150-300 cm is suitable for its growth, where rainfall is less than 100 cm, rice is cultivated with the help of Irrigation.
Soil: Rice is grown in varied soil conditions but deep clayey and loamy soil provides the ideal conditions.

Wheat

Wheat is another cereal crop of Sikkim growing in almost all villages of Sikkim having cool winter and hot summer climate, irrespective of elevation and irrigation facilities.
It is a rabi crop and its plant requires a cool and somewhat moist climate in the beginning and warm and dry weather at the harvest time.
The average rainfall should be between 50 to 70 cms. and that too at intervals.
It is sown in August and harvested in March, April.

Maize

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops of Agriculture of Sikkim.
It is grown over an area of about 36,000-40,000 hectare which is about 35-40% of total cultivable area.
It requires hot dry climate.
Rainfall required for maize varies from 75 cms to 125 cms.
It is sown in May-July and harvested in August-November.

Oil- seed

Rape Seed, Mustard, linseed, sesamum, toria, cottonseed are the chief varieties of oil-seeds.
They require hot and moist climate.

Barley

Barley is a minor rabi cereal crop of Sikkim grown only in small pockets over an area of about 1.15 thousand hectare.
The production of barley is subjected by systematic implementation of Agronomic Practices as well as crop improvement work including introduction and Acclimatization of high yielding varieties.

Tuber crops, spices, fruits, vegetables, ornamental Plants

Tuber Crops: Potato,Sweet Potata
Spices: Large Cardamom, Ginger, Chilli, Turmeric, Coriander
Fruits: Mandarin, Passion fruit, Banana, Guava, Papaya, Jack fruit, Litchi
Vegetables: Brocoli, Onion, Brinjal, Carrot, Iskus, Pumpkin, Radish, Tomato, Tree Tomato, Cabbage, Cauli flower
Ornamental Plants: Anthurium, Cymbidium, Rose

Important Organic Cash Crops of Agriculture of Sikkim

Important organically grown cash crops of the state are oranges, large cardomom, ginger, turmeric, cherry paper, baby corn, buck heat, pulses etc.
All these organic crops have a high demand in domestic and international markets.

SIKKIM MANDARIN ORANGE

Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is the most common among citrus fruits grown in India.
It occupies nearly 50% of the total citrus area in India.
Mandatrin group includes all types of loose jacket oranges commonly called Santra or mandarin such as Nagpur Santra, Coorg Santra, Khasi Mandarin, Sikkim Mandarin etc.
Sikkim mandarin represents the most important commercial fruit of Sikkim and is similar to the Nepal or Assam or Darjeeling mandarin.

TURMERIC

The Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is an important spice used conventionally as a natural food colorant and as an additive for imparting to food orange-yellow colour, flavor and aroma.
It is also valued as an antiseptic for its anti-inflammatory property and is used in beauty treatment or in the cosmetic Industry and dye plants.
It is the most researched spice for medicinal use and occupy prominent place in traditional medicine system for treatment of cough, flu, anemia, asthma, sprain and pain, skin diseases, sinus etc. It is loaded with antioxidant properties.
It is propagated through tuberous seed rhizome. Its cultivation in unutilized areas and forest areas as well as in cultivated land is gaining popularity in the state in recent years, especially in Niche areas having an altitude of 3000 ft amsl and less.
With similar cultivation practices as that of ginger, turmeric is grown both as pure crop as well as mixed with maize, chilly, bean, vegetable etc under both rainfed and irrigated conditions.
Small and marginal farmers in the state take up the crop in small operational holdings with cultivation of the crop contributing to generation of income as well as in promotion of livelihood of farmers in the state

BUCK WHEAT

The area and production of this crop in Sikkim are 2760 hectares and 1,380 tonnes respectively.
It is widely grown in the hilly tracts of the Sikkim.
In recent years, the area and production has gone up considerably.
It is now considered a cash crop fetching even higher price than rice.
As a result, it is not only grown on slopy dry land but also as a chief rotational crop between paddy and maize in Sikkim.
The crop is grown right from 300 m to 2,500 m in the hills.

BABY CORN

Baby Corn cultivation is a recent development in Sikkim.
Major motive behind popularization of the crop is to increase the economic condition of farmers.
The potential of growing the crop in the state is visualized from the production and productivity of maize.
Thought less remunerative, maize is the only crop in Sikkim which is successfully grown in approximately 39000 ha area across different agroecological condition.

GINGER

Ginger is cultivated in Sikkim since time immemorial.
It is also used for religious purpose by Limboo Phedangma and Rai Bijuwas which shows its attachment with the people of Sikkim from ancient period.
Its commercial value has been recently exploited due to sudden price hike in market.
Now, it is grown as one of the important cash crops of Sikkim below 1,500 m amsl occupying a considerable area.
The important ginger-growing areas are:

Mangalbaria, Chakung, Tharpu, Gyalshing, Zoom in West district;
Turuk, Sumbuk, Rateypani, Namthang, Mellidara, Maniram, Namchi and Temi-Tarku in South district;
Rhenock, Rongli, Pakyong, Rorathang, Khamdong, Pendam, Sirwani and Rangpo in East district and in small pockets of North district.

The important markets of ginger are Melli, Gyalshing, Rangpo, Singtam, Nayabazar and Resh.

LARGE CARDAMOM

It is a native crop of Agriculture of Sikkim.
The presence of wild species, locally known as ‘Churumpa’ like Amomum aromaticum, A. dealbatum, A. Kingir, A. corynostachyum, A. Lingiforme etc. and tremendous variability within the cultivated species in Sikkim support the view of its origin.
It is the most important revenue earning crop of Agriculture of Sikkim.
The dried capsules are marketed at Amritsar,Delhi, Kanpur, Kolkata and Lucknow for further distribution.
Large cardamom is also cultivated in parts of Uttarakhand and in some other North-Eastern States.
Nepal and Bhutan are other countries where large cardamom is cultivate.

Salient Features of India/Agriculture of Sikkim

Subsistence Agriculture of Sikkim: Most parts of India have subsistence agriculture. This type of agriculture has been practised in India for several hundreds of years and still prevails in a larger part of India in spite of the large scale change in agricultural practices after independence.
Pressure of population on Agriculture of Sikkim: Despite increase in Urbanization and industrialization, about 70% of population is still directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture.
Mechanization of farming of Agriculture of Sikkim: Green Revolution took place in India in the late sixties and early seventies. After more than forty years of Green Revolution and revolution in agricultural machinery and equipments, complete mechanization is still a distant dream
Dependence upon monsoon: Since independence, there has been a rapid expansion of irrigation Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE. Despite the large scale expansion, only about one third of total cropped area is irrigated today. As a consequence, two third of cropped areas is still dependent upon monsoon. Monsoon in India is uncertain and unreliable. This has become even more unreliable due to change in climate.
Variety of crops Agriculture of Sikkim: India has diversity of topography, climate and soil. Since India has both tropical and temperate climate, crops of both the climate are found in India. There are very few countries in the world that have variety comparable to that of India..
Predominance of Food Crops of Agriculture of Sikkim: Since Indian Agriculture has to feed a large population, production of food crops is the first priority of the farmers almost everywhere in the country. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the share of land used for food crops due to various other commercially most advantageous uses of this land.
Seasonal patterns of Agriculture of Sikkim: India has three distinct agricultural/Cropping seasons. You might have heard about kharif, rabi and zaid. In India there are specific crops grown in these three seasons. For example rice is a kharif crop whereas wheat is a rabi crop.

Challenges are faced by farmers

Farmers of our country are facing lot of problems regarding agricultural production of crop. Few of them are shortlisted below:

Uncertain weather
Uneven water availability
Lesser yield
Low quality crops
Lack of soil nutrients
Buyer’s monopoly
Less cash in hand
Less scientific guidance during agricultural
Less information regarding selection of crop seed
Inadequate information of plant root moisture holding capacity
Less information of scientific irrigation process for maximum yield
Less aware of the market and growing technology

Agriculture is the backbone of the Sikkim economy, employing over 60% of the state’s population. The state has a diverse climate and soil, which makes it ideal for a variety of crops. The main crops grown in Sikkim are rice, maize, wheat, barley, millet, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables. Horticulture is also an important sector of the agricultural economy, with Sikkim being a major producer of apples, oranges, cardamom, ginger, and tea. Animal Husbandry is also practiced in Sikkim, with the main Livestock being cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, and pigs. Fisheries-2/”>Fisheries are also an important Source Of Income for many people in Sikkim.

The forests of Sikkim are home to a variety of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses, and deer. The forests are also an important source of timber, fuelwood, and other forest products. Agro-based industries are also an important part of the Sikkim economy, with the main industries being Food Processing, Dairy products, and paper and pulp.

The Marketing of agricultural produce in Sikkim is done through a Network of markets, cooperatives, and government agencies. The State Government has also set up a number of schemes to promote the marketing of agricultural produce, including the Sikkim State Agricultural Marketing Board and the Sikkim State Cooperative Marketing Federation.

The challenges faced by agriculture in Sikkim include the following:

Small landholdings: The average landholding size in Sikkim is very small, which makes it difficult for farmers to mechanize their operations and adopt new technologies.
Lack of irrigation facilities: A large part of the agricultural land in Sikkim is rain-fed, which makes it vulnerable to droughts and floods.
Inaccessibility of markets: Many parts of Sikkim are difficult to access, which makes it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets.
Lack of infrastructure: The state government has not invested enough in agricultural infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and storage facilities.
Low productivity: The productivity of agriculture in Sikkim is low compared to other states in India. This is due to a number of factors, including the small landholding size, lack of irrigation facilities, and poor agricultural practices.

The prospects of agriculture in Sikkim are bright, given the state’s favorable climate and soil conditions. However, the state government needs to address the challenges faced by agriculture in order to realize the full potential of the sector.

The following are some of the steps that the state government can take to promote agriculture in Sikkim:

Provide financial assistance to farmers to mechanize their operations and adopt new technologies.
Develop irrigation facilities in the rain-fed areas.
Improve the infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and storage facilities.
Promote the use of high-yielding varieties of seeds and Fertilizers.
Provide training to farmers on modern agricultural practices.
Promote the marketing of agricultural produce through a network of markets, cooperatives, and government agencies.
Encourage the development of agro-based industries.

If the state government takes these steps, agriculture can play a major role in the Economic Development of Sikkim.

Geography of Sikkim

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It is bordered by Bhutan to the north, China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to the east, Nepal to the west, and West Bengal to the south. The state has a population of about 610,000 people and a land area of 7,096 square kilometers. The capital of Sikkim is Gangtok.

Sikkim is a mountainous state with a high altitude. The average elevation of the state is 2,000 meters above sea level. The highest point in Sikkim is Mount Kanchenjunga, which is the third highest mountain in the world.

Sikkim has a temperate climate. The temperature in the state varies depending on the altitude. The average temperature in Gangtok is 15 degrees Celsius. The monsoon season in Sikkim lasts from June to September.

Sikkim is a popular tourist destination. The state is known for its natural beauty, including its Mountains, forests, and lakes. Sikkim is also home to a number of Buddhist monasteries.

History of Sikkim

Sikkim was originally a kingdom ruled by the Namgyal dynasty. The kingdom was founded in 1642 by Phuntsog Namgyal. The Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim until 1975, when the kingdom became a state of India.

Sikkim was a British protectorate from 1861 to 1947. The state was ruled by the British through a resident. The British government had a significant influence on the development of Sikkim.

After India gained independence in 1947, Sikkim became an independent country. However, the state was not recognized by the international community. In 1975, Sikkim became a state of India.

Economy of Sikkim

The economy of Sikkim is based on agriculture, tourism, and hydroelectricity. Agriculture is the main source of income for the people of Sikkim. The main crops grown in Sikkim are rice, maize, wheat, and potatoes.

Tourism is a major source of income for Sikkim. The state is known for its natural beauty, including its mountains, forests, and lakes. Sikkim is also home to a number of Buddhist monasteries.

Hydroelectricity is another major source of income for Sikkim. The state has a number of hydroelectric power plants.

Government of Sikkim

The government of Sikkim is a parliamentary Democracy. The head of state is the governor, who is appointed by the president of India. The head of government is the chief minister, who is elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly.

The Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of Sikkim. The Assembly has 32 members, who are elected by the people of Sikkim.

The judiciary of Sikkim is headed by the High Court of Sikkim. The High Court has jurisdiction over all matters in the state.

Culture of Sikkim

The culture of Sikkim is a mix of Tibetan, Nepali, and Indian cultures. The main religion in Sikkim is Buddhism-2/”>Buddhism. The state is home to a number of Buddhist monasteries.

The people of Sikkim are known for their hospitality. They are also known for their love of music and dance.

Languages of Sikkim

The Official Language of Sikkim is Nepali. However, English is also widely spoken in the state. The people of Sikkim also speak a number of other languages, including Bhutia, Lepcha, and Limbu.

Flora and Fauna of Sikkim

Sikkim is home to a variety of plants and animals. The state has a number of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The most famous National Park in Sikkim is the Kanchenjunga National Park. The park is home to a number of endangered species, including the snow leopard and the red panda.

Tourism in Sikkim

Sikkim is a popular tourist destination. The state is known for its natural beauty, including its mountains, forests, and lakes. Sikkim is also home to a number of Buddhist monasteries.

Some of the popular tourist destinations in Sikkim include:

Gangtok: The capital of Sikkim, Gangtok is a popular tourist destination. The city is home to a number of temples, monasteries, and museums.
Nathula Pass: The Nathula Pass is a high mountain pass on the border between India and China. The pass is a popular tourist destination for its scenic views.
Yumthang Valley: The Yumthang Valley is a high-altitude valley in Sikkim. The valley is known for its hot springs and its rhododendron forests.
Khangchendzonga National Park: The Khang

Agriculture of Sikkim

Sikkim is a landlocked state in northeastern India. It is bordered by Bhutan to the north, China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to the east, Nepal to the west, and West Bengal to the south. The state has a population of about 610,000 people and a land area of 7,096 square kilometers. The capital of Sikkim is Gangtok.

Sikkim is a mountainous state with a temperate climate. The average temperature in the state ranges from 10 degrees Celsius in winter to 30 degrees Celsius in summer. The state receives an average annual rainfall of 2,500 millimeters.

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Sikkim. The main crops grown in the state are rice, maize, wheat, barley, and potatoes. Other important crops include ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and tea.

Sikkim is also a major producer of hydropower. The state has a number of hydroelectric power plants, which generate electricity for the state and for export to other parts of India.

Sikkim is a beautiful and scenic state with a rich culture and history. The state is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world.

MCQs

Which of the following is not a major crop grown in Sikkim?
(A) Rice
(B) Maize
(C) Wheat
(D) Tea
Sikkim is a major producer of which of the following?
(A) Hydropower
(B) Tea
(C) Cardamom
(D) All of the above
The capital of Sikkim is:
(A) Gangtok
(B) Darjeeling
(C) Kalimpong
(D) Siliguri
Sikkim is bordered by which of the following countries?
(A) Bhutan
(B) China
(C) Nepal
(D) All of the above
The average temperature in Sikkim ranges from:
(A) 10 degrees Celsius in winter to 30 degrees Celsius in summer
(B) 15 degrees Celsius in winter to 35 degrees Celsius in summer
(C) 20 degrees Celsius in winter to 40 degrees Celsius in summer
(D) 25 degrees Celsius in winter to 45 degrees Celsius in summer
Sikkim is a landlocked state. This means that:
(A) It is surrounded by land on all sides
(B) It has no access to the sea
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above
The population of Sikkim is about:
(A) 500,000 people
(B) 600,000 people
(C) 700,000 people
(D) 800,000 people
The land area of Sikkim is about:
(A) 6,000 square kilometers
(B) 7,000 square kilometers
(C) 8,000 square kilometers
(D) 9,000 square kilometers
The climate of Sikkim is:
(A) Temperate
(B) Tropical
(C) Subtropical
(D) None of the above
The average annual rainfall in Sikkim is about:
(A) 1,500 millimeters
(B) 2,000 millimeters
(C) 2,500 millimeters
(D) 3,000 millimeters