Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) based agroforestry systems for production, resource conservation and livelihood security in the Sikkim Himalayas

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) is the most important native cash crop of Sikkim grown under the forest, between 600 to 2000 m altitude with an annual rainfall of 3000 to 5000 mm. It is a low volume, high value and non-perishable perennial cash crop which formanintegral component of sustainable ecosystem of Sikkim. Presently, Nepal is the largest producer of large cardamom with 68 per cent share, followed by India (22%) and Bhutan (9%). Sikkim contributes 88 per cent of the annual production of India (4385 MT). The gross income from large cardamom cultivation in Sikkim increased from Rs. 3.0 crore in 1989–90 to Rs. 24.0 crore in 2001–02 and decreased to Rs. 16.95 crore in 2006–07. The gross income of households and workers was found to be almost double in large cardamom dominated system as compared to traditional mixed forest system. Large cardamom based agroforestry practice retain the tree cover thus, conserving the soil, water and nutrients in the fragile mountain ecosystems. It was a low nutrient exhaustive agroforestry practice conforming to the mountain niche. Performance of large cardamom under the N₂-fixing Alnus nepalensis, a shade tree is a common practice which proved to be highly beneficial in terms of production and nutrient cycling that found the system to be sustainable up to 20 years, and adoption of replantation thereafter for both Alnus and large cardamom for sustainability of this system.