A Bastion of Food Security

I just visited a friend who used to live in upper Dharamsala, but recently moved to [undisclosed location] on the northern edge of the Kangra Valley, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. He now owns not only a house, but several stepped fields around it, and has friendly neighbors who also own fields. There are beekeepers nearby, so we could have our breakfast eggs on multi-grain bread with butter and honey, all of which were locally sourced, like within one kilometer.

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in Kangra. Crops include wheat, barley, maize, rice, taro and potatoes, while stone fruits are the main horticultural crops. Kangra Valley is filled with numerous perennial rivers which irrigate the valley, and the river Beas flows through it. The valley extends from the foot of the Dhauladar range to the south of river Beas, with an average elevation of 610 meters. The highest peak on the Dhauladhar, White Mountain, marks the boundary between the valley and Chamba, and reaches 4,863 m. The peaks of the range are approximately 4,000 m above the valley floor, rising sharply from its base with no low hills in between.

Most of the valley has a humid subtropical climate. Summer starts in early April and peaks in May. From June to mid-September is the monsoon season, when the valley receives very high amounts of rainfall. Autumn is mild and lasts from October to the end of November. Winters are cold and last till late February. Snowfall is common in the hills and higher reaches of the valley during this time. Snow in the lower elevations of the valley is rare, but has been recorded occasionally. Western disturbances cause winter precipitation. Winters are followed by a short, pleasant spring.

The district is rich in animals, including several species of deer, goat, sheep, bear, panther, leopard, wild boar, porcupine, flying squirrel, jackal, fox, Himalayan Pine Marten, and Macaque & Langur monkeys, and more (watch out for the Macaques). Birds include several species of pheasant, snowcock, peacock, parrot, pigeon, dove, hawk, eagle, vulture, tit, nutcracker, woodpecker, crow, Himalayan flycatcher, Indian Tree Pie, and more.

My friend may never need to hunt for food. Plenty of people in his area own cows, chickens and goats, so he has a ready supply of milk, eggs and meat, if he wants them. As the climate changes, though, his location (at the very edge of the valley, with only forest and mountains to the north) gives him opportunities that not many others will have. That, plus his agricultural skills, capacity to learn, and network of friends, makes his position enviable, and one I hope to emulate.