Development of agriculture in the himalayan states of India

The Himalayan regions of India comprise a vast complex of varied eco-systems spread over an area of about 5.95 lakh sq.kms., which is just a little below one-fifth of the geographical area of the country where nearly 50 million people live. If the Himalayan sediment area is also taken into account, a little more than one-third of the total area of India would be deemed to be either directly or indirectly affected by this gigantic chain of mountains which is the largest physical feature on the earth. Geologically the Himalayan range of mountains is young. It is a zone of continued confrontation between the tectonic and the gradational forces. The tectonic forces and the pressures exercised by gigantic earth plates make the mountains rise. On the other hand weathering and erosion and many improvident human interventions wear down mountain lands. Thus, the whole environment becomes fragile and risky. It is in these difficult circumstances that agriculture is being practised in the Himalayan states of India right down from the terai, the doons and the valley beds upto the high mountain slopes.