Sikkim information

1. CLIMATE AND
AGRICULTURE
OF SIKKIM
SUBMITTED BY:
ISHITATANWAR
ADITI
SAKSHI KHOWAL
KANISHAKAYADAV

2. INTRODUCTION
Sikkim, state of India , located in the north-eastern part of the country, in the
eastern Himalayas. It is the second smallest state in India. Sikkim is bodered by the
Tibet Autonomous region in the north and northeast, by Bhutan in the southeast, by
Indian states of West Bengal in the south and by Nepal to the west. The capital is
Gangtok, in the south eastern part of the state.
Location of Sikkim on map of India District wise map of Sikkim

3. CLIMATE
The climate of Sikkim is extremely varied largely
due to variation in altitude. It has the Himalayan
or high mountain type of climate. Altitude is the
most important factor controlling the climate
and weather condition here. Relief features such
as high mountains act as the barriers for the
movements of monsoon winds. Low
temperature, high rainfall on windward slopes,
comparatively dry on the leeward side and heavy
precipitation in the form of snow at the mountain
top are the main features of the climate here.
Due to great variation in sharp edged mountains
throughout the state, there is large variation in
rainfall and temperature. The Himalayas act as
barrier to monsoon winds forcing them to ascend
thereby causing orographic rainfall and snow fall.

4. The Himalayas also act as barrier to the flow of cold winds from Central Asia,
resulting heavy snowfall on the mountain tops and higher elevations and dry
winter season at lower elevation located at the leeward side. The monsoon
winds dominate the climate. There is seasonal reversal of winds almost
throughout the state. The monsoon imposes the seasonal rhythm which is
apparent in the activities of the people since most of them are agriculturists.
The following four seasons are prevalent on the basis of the monsoon
circulation over the state.
1. The cold weather season - December to February
2. The spring weather season - March to May
3. The south-west monsoon - June to September
4. The period of retreating monsoon - October to
November

5. RAINFALL ANDTEMPERATURE
The mean annual rainfall varies from 2000 mm. to 4000 mm. with intensity of rain
from drizzling showers in lower altitude to torrential rains in higher altitude. There are
two maximum rainfall areas
(i) South-East region and
(ii) South-West region.
There is an area in the North-West region which gets very little rainfall. The greater
part of rain fall is received during May to September. The annual rainfall of Sikkim is
2739 mm. The temperature varies with the altitude and slope aspect. The mean
temperature in the lower altitudinal zone, it varies from 1.5 degree centigrade to 9.5
degree centigrade. The maximum temperature is usually recorded during July-August
which varies from 210 Celsius to 260 Celsius and minimum during December-January
between 60 Celsius and 80 Celsius. Fog is a common feature in the entire state from
May to September. Biting cold is experienced at high altitude places in the winter
months and snowfall is also not uncommon during this period. Climatic factors are
entirely influenced by altitude.

6. Mean monthly meteorological parameters of Gangtok Municipal Corporation
MONTHS MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE
(in degree C)
MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE
(in degree C)
JANUARY 13.5 04.3
FEBRUARY 14.9 05.7
MARCH 19.5 08.9
APRIL 21.8 11.9
MAY 22.0 13.7
JUNE 22.5 16.0
JULY 22.6 16.8
AUGUST 22.7 16.5
SEPTEMBER 22.3 15.5
OCTOBER 21.7 12.3
NOVEMBER 18.6 08.7
DECEMBER 15.3 05.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
TEMPERATURE
(
in
Degree
Celsius
)
MONTHS
MONTHLY AVERAGE MAXIMUM AND
MINIMUMTEMPERATURE OF SIKKIM
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE

7. Mean monthly meteorological parameters of Gangtok Municipal Corporation
MONTHS RAINFALL (in mm)
JANUARY 40.4
FEBRUARY 50.2
MARCH 127.1
APRIL 270.5
MAY 534.7
JUNE 650.4
JULY 666.4
AUGUST 578.2
SEPTEMBER 429.3
OCTOBER 180.3
NOVEMBER 35.8
DECEMBER 17.2
40.4 50.2
127.1
270.5
534.7
650.4
666.4
578.2
429.3
180.3
35.8
17.2
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
RAINFALL
(in
mm)
MONTHS
MONTHLY AVERAGE RAINFALL (IN MM)

8. AGRICULTURE
Sikkim is a hilly State in the Eastern Himalayas
where agricultural practices and adaptations are
highly variable in time and space due to varying
altitudes and agro-climatic situations. Agriculture
is the primary activity of the people of Sikkim.
About 15.36% of the total geographical area of
the land is devoted to agriculture but the actual
area available for agricultural purpose is declining
due to diversion of cultivable land for non-
agricultural purposes like establishment of
industries, township expansion, construction of
roads, hydel projects, buildings etc. Farming has
been considerably handicapped by small and
fragmented holdings, limited irrigation, and lack
of farm mechanization and frequent occurrence
of natural calamities like landslides, floods and
earthquakes

9. CROP AREA ( 000
HECTARES)
PRODUCTION (000
TONNES)
PRODUCTIVITY (Kg)
RICE 9.50 17.64 1856.24
WHEAT 0.17 0.19 1079.26
MAIZE 38.46 67.97 1769.34
FINGER MILLET 2.47 2.55 1031.65
BARLEY 0.42 0.45 1072.64
BUCKWHEAT 3.43 3.35 976.24
PULSES 5.36 5.10 954.21
OILSEEDS 6.28 5.80 924.55
AREA, PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN
SIKKIM (2017-18)

10. ORGANIC FARMING IN SIKKIM
• Organic farming uses techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the
natural environment or the people who live and work in it.
• It relies on organic or natural fertilizers like:
> Compost Manure > Green Manure > Bone Meal
• And it places emphasis on techniques like:
> Crop Rotation > Companion Planting

11. • In 2003, Sikkim officially adopted a
resolution to switch to organic farming. The
state decided to go organic, to ensure long-
term sustenance of soil fertility, protection
of environment and ecology. The objective
was also to promote healthy living and
decreasing the risk of disease.
• India’s first organic state Sikkim has won the
Oscar for best policies’ conferred by
the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) for the world’s best policies
promoting agro-ecological and sustainable
food systems.
• The ‘Future Policy Award’ received by
the Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Kumar
Chamling in Rome on 15 Oct 2018
recognized the state’s leadership and
political will to lead by example. The award
was co-organized by FAO, World Future
Council and IFOAM- Organics International.
ORGANICTEA PLANTATIONS IN SIKKIM

12. HOW SIKKIM BECAME AN ORGANIC STATE:
ATIMELINE
• The process of converting Sikkim into a 100 per cent organic state was fast-tracked in
2010 with the launch of the Sikkim Organic Mission
• 2003 - Sikkim begins discouraging use of chemical fertilizers, reduces fertilizer
subsidy by 10 per cent.The Sikkim Organic Board is constituted.
• 2003-2009 - State adopts 396 villages as bio-villages to test organic inputs.
• 2006-2009 - About 8,000 ha of land is certified as organic. Eight units of vermin-
culture hatcheries are established in five state farms and three KrishiVigyan Kendra's.
• 2008-09 - Ginger processing unit is established at Birdang Farm, West Sikkim. Ginger
is one of the four high-value crops selected by Sikkim for its trade potential.
• 2010 - Sikkim Organic Mission is launched to fast-track conversion of Sikkim into a
100 per cent organic state

13. • 2010-11 - More than 18,234 ha of
land is certified. Automated
greenhouses are established for
production of disease-free quality
planting material.
• 2011-12 - 19,216 ha land is certified.
• 2012-13 - 19,188 ha land is certified.
`Organic farming' is included in
school curriculum
• 2015 - Entire agricultural area in the
state is converted to `certified
organic'.
• 2016 - Sikkim is formally declared a
`100 per cent organic' state.

14. IMPORTANT POINTS
• Sikkim is the first organic state in the world and all farmlands in the state are certified organic.
• State’s policy approach reaches beyond organic production and has proven transformational
for its citizens.
• It primarily focuses socioeconomic aspects such as consumption and market expansion,
cultural aspects as well as health, education, rural development and sustainable tourism.
• The organic farming policy implemented by state has phased out chemical fertilizers and
pesticides, and achieved total ban on sale and use of chemical pesticides in the state.
• The transition has benefitted more than 66000 farming families in state.
• Transition to 100% organic state also has greatly benefited its tourism sector and numbers of
tourists have increased by over 50% between 2014 and 2017.
• With this Sikkim has set an excellent example for other Indian states and countries worldwide
for successfully upscale agroecology.
• Sikkim was awarded UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Future Policy Gold Award
(Gold Prize) for its achievement in becoming the world’s first totally organic agriculture state.

15. CONCLUSION
Despite the efforts done by some of the policies by the Government, organic
farming has not been able to enter the agriculture mainstream in India. Government
along with private players needs to make structural changes in prevailing
agricultural practices and overcome infrastructural and technological challenges in
developing organic farming to a greater level. More awareness should be created
among the farming community about the benefits of organic farming. Sikkim has
set an example in this field which other states may follow.