Large cardamom farming in changing climatic and socioeconomic conditions in the Sikkim Himalayas

This working paper focuses on large cardamom (Amomum subulatum), an important cash crop and livelihood option for people in Sikkim Himalayas, India. In 1997, a study conducted by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) revealed the ecological and economic importance of large cardamom to mountain farmers in the Sikkim Himalayas, estimating the contribution of this crop to household cash income at 45 per cent in the case of small farmers (with up to 2 hectares of land) and 54 per cent for large farmers (with more than 2 hectares of land). Many changes have taken place since then, including changes in land use patterns, socioeconomic conditions, and climate. The study presented in this working paper was carried out to analyze how these changes have affected large cardamom farming in Sikkim and the dependence of mountain farmers on this crop. This study particularly looked at the changes in large cardamom farming, the causes of such changes, and their impact on the household economy and livelihoods. It also examined the role of beekeeping with the indigenous honeybee (Apis cerana) in cardamom pollination in six large cardamom-growing areas in East, South and West Sikkim.