Ecosystem services of traditional large cardamom based agroforestry systems of Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

Indigenous large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) based agroforestry systems are prevalent in the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas and are life line for people of these mountainous regions. The paper reviews the earlier studies on large cardamom based traditional agroforestry system from Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayas and outlined the ecosystem services provided by the systems along with the major problems of this system identified by the earlier studies. The system provides numerous ecosystem services from provisional to cultural with potential role in increasing carbon sink, avoiding deforestation and conserving natural resources thereby providing multiple goods and services including productivity, nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, energy fixation and nutrient use efficiency. However, in the past few decades, productivity of this farming system has declined significantly which has been attributed to climate change, increased incidences of insect pest and diseases along with anthropogenic pressure. Creating alternate opportunities for livelihood diversity and security are also suggested in the studies.