This document provides information about the ICAR Research Complex in Sikkim, India. It details the location, climate, population, agriculture, and challenges facing the region. Key points include: - The region spans from 270-280 latitude and 870-880 longitude with altitudes from 300-8598 meters. The climate varies from tropical to tundra. - The total population is 607,688 with 16% of land used for agriculture. Major crops grown include rice, maize, millet, wheat, pulses and oilseeds. - Challenges to agriculture in the region include traditional practices, land degradation, poor irrigation, soil erosion, pests, and lack of infrastructure. The

1. ICAR Research Complex For NEH Region, Sikkim
Centre Tadong, Gangtok, 737 102, Sikkim
Raghavendra Singh
Senior Scientist (Agronomy)
raghavenupc@gmail.com)

2.  Latitudes 2705’N to 2809’N and
 Longitudes 87059’E to 88056’E
 Altitude variation in this region ranging from 300 m to 8598 m (MSL)
 Climatic - Tropical to the tundra
 Average Rainfall: 3250 mm/annum
 Maximum Temp: 27 to 29°C (June-August)
 Minimum Temp: 5 to 8 °C (December -January)
 Relative Humidity: 63.8 to 88.7%
 Bright Sunshine Hours: 1.97 to 6.3 hrs./day
 The soil pH varies from 4.3 to 6.4
Cont..

3.  Total population:- 607688
 Per cent of total population of India:0.05
 Total geographical area:- 7096 sq. km
 Percentage of total geographical area of India: 0.22
 Irrigated Area: 11%
 Net cultivated area:79000 ha (16% of total geographical area)
 First Organic state of the country (January 17, 2016)
 Total food grain production: 103.41 (000, t)
 Deficit in food gain production:- -2.89%
 Deficit in major crops: Rice:78%, Pulses: 21%, Oil seeds:64%

4.  Geo-physical condition
 Climatic condition
 Prevalence of traditional agricultural practices
 Degradation of prime agricultural land
 Poor irrigation infrastructure
 Remoteness of the region
 Soil erosion and nutrient leaching
 Heavy infestation of weeds, insect pest and diseases
 Poor transports and market infrastructure
 Lack of sound scientific knowledge of crop production
 Over dominance of single crop

5. Area Climate
(Altitude m)
Ecological adaptation Crops
Agriculture and horticulture
Lower hills Tropical
(300-500 m)
Wet and dry agriculture, sedentary
farming, horticulture, livestock
Rice, maize, millet, wheat, pulses,
oilseeds, vegetables, potato, guava, lime,
lemon, mango, ginger, mandarin
Mid hill Sub-tropical
(500-1200 m)
Wet and dry agriculture, livestock,
horticulture and minor forest
produce
Rice, maize, millet, wheat, pulses,
oilseeds, vegetables, potato,
mandarin, plum, peach, pear, large
cardamom
High hills Temperate
(1200-2700 m)
Dry agriculture, Bhutia transhumance Maize, barley, vegetables,
potato, apple, plum, peach, peas
High hills Sub-alpine
(2700-4000 m)
Yak and sheep herding, horticulture,
pastoral economy (wool, cheese,
butter, hides, and potato are
commercial commodities)
Mainly used for pasturage, seed
potato and vegetables
Very high hills Alpine
(> 4000 m)
Tibetan sheep, yak-based
transhumance, potato and
vegetables
Mainly used for pasturage, seed
potato and vegetables
Bhasin and Bhasin (1994)

6. Database collection
• Data related to the climate, soil and water of Sikkim will be collected
• Trends related to agricultural and horticultural crops will be collected and compiled to analyze the
current agriculture scenario in Sikkim
• Data on livestock, poultry and fisheries in the state will also be collected
Data sharing
• Data will be shared with Himalayan Agriculture Knowledge Network (HAKN) as well as with
Knowledge Innovation Repository for Agriculture in North- East (KIRAN- Network) for updating
existing data.
Monitoring system
• Identification and promotion/scaling up of suitable practices for conserving soil, water, and vegetation
focusing on carbon sequestration for the betterment of the farming community
Pilot studies for revalidation
• Assessment of IFS in every household for high income and self employment
• Regulation of AFS for resource conservation and C-sequestration
• Improving of organic farming system
• Efficient soil and water conservation strategies will regulated
Capacity Building
• Capacity building will be organized to sensitized the stakeholders for climate change related issues

7. Data collection
• Data from 1983 onwards on climatic parameters has been collected.
• Trends related to agricultural and horticultural crops collected and compiled to analyze the current agriculture
scenario in Sikkim.
• Collected species-wise livestock population in Sikkim.
• Data of soil status in Sikkim has been collected.
Identification of monitoring sites (Hot spots)
Two locations have been selected for implementation of the project
• Timpyem, East Sikkim {Mid altitude (1350- 1500 m (MSL)}
• Lachen and Thangu, North Sikkim {High altitude (2750-4700 m (MSL)}

8. Integrated farming system
• Crops (Cereals/pulses/oilseeds)
• Vegetables (Tomato/Potato/Cole crops/Beans/Leafy vegetables/Vegetable pea)
• Fruit crops (Sikkim mandarin/Kiwi)
• Livestock based systems (Cattle/Goat/Pig/Backyard poultry)
• Agri-horti-silvi pastoral system (under different land use system)
Maize/rice based conservation agricultural system for C-sequestration and risk management
• In-situ moisture conservation through locally available biomass for rabi crops in maize based cropping
system
• No-till vegetable pea in rice-fallow
• Diversification of existing cropping system (Maize-rice) through inclusion of legumes (Maize -
vegetable pea/rajmash)
Cont..

9. Organic production techniques of field and horticultural crops
• Low cost water harvesting techniques (Jalkund) for winter vegetables)
• Low cost production of organic sources of nutrients (Vermibeds)
Year round vegetable production in low cost poly tunnel/rain shelter
Carbon sequestration potential of different land use system

10. • 27033’94” North latitude and 88060’29” East longitude
• Altitude 1350- 1500 m (MSL)
 General information
• Total geographical area 6.9 ha, cultivable area 5.55 ha and barren land 1.35 ha
• Total households: 36,total population:161, Male:84 (57.03%) and Female: 74 (45.96%)
• The village is having approximately 87% literacy rate
 Problems diagnosed
• Acidic soil
• Low productivity due to mono-cropping
• Loss of sufficient organic nutrient sources for production of crops
• Insufficient of water for rabi season crops
• Lack of proper knowledge about soil and water conservation technologies
• Low adoption of complete package of practices for crop production

11. Integrated farming system strategies were regulated
Resources conservation techniques: No-till vegetable pea and Cole crops in rice-fallow: was
demonstrated
Number of Jalkund (Low cost water harvesting tank) were implemented
Number of low cost poly tunnel were implemented
Intensification of maize based cropping system
Advanced farming system were demonstrated
Deep litter farming system of pig has been demonstrated
Training-cum-input support system programme under integrated farming system for livelihood
improvement were conducted

12. S.
No.
Climatic vulnerability Interventions Action Taken
1 i. Moisture stress
ii. Low water holding capacity
of the soil
In situ moisture
conservation
Mulching in crops with forest litter, Inter
cropping with legume crops/relay cropping
2 Water insufficiency during
Rabi season
Jalkund for life saving
irrigation
Construction and renovation of low cost
Jalkund
3 Leaching losses of soil
nutrients due to heavy rainfall
Management of soil
erosion
Land leveling and contour bunding and
planting Napier and Broom grass on
bunds.
4 Highly acidic soil Soil amelioration Furrow liming by dolomite @ 500 kg/ha
and growing acid tolerant crops like pea,
black gram, soybean, rice bean

16. BASELINE SURVEY OF LACHEN AND THANGU (NORTH SIKKIM)
YET TO COMPLETE
Cultivated land in Thangu (North Sikkim)
Altitude (3907 m (MSL)
Vegetable grown in Dhampachi (North Sikkim)
Altitude (3957 m (MSL)

17. The following candidates have been appointed in the month of November,
2017 under NMSHE project on various posts:
Ezekiel Khawas(Junior Research Fellow)
Ajeet Kumar Pal(Junior Research Fellow)
Rajeni Pradhan (Field Assistant)
Recruitment of JRFs and FAs under NMSHE Project
Equipment status
No equipment procured till date
Fund status
 No fund received as contingency advance during 2017-18

18. Thank you