Kashmiri territory under Pakistan need more International attention: Afzal Tahir
There is an estimated 10% of world population live in mountains. (p-1) The Andean and Caribbean regions of CA, there are about 30-50 million people live in mountain areas that provide half of their staple foods. There are 35% farming of land in Andean Countries. In Peru 1.6 million have under cultivation at altitudes exceeding 2,000 m.
There are an estimated of 30%, other than mountain populations, affected by, or dependent on, the mountain resources. The rivers such as the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mekong, and Yangtze, which flow from the Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet, a mountains complex, provide irrigation and drinking water for a large percentage of the vast population of South and Southeast Asia.
The melting down of the glaciers and snow-capped peak, noted faster than expected earlier, in the recent research in Kashmir, that is resulting in reduction of water flow in the rivers towards the plains affecting both agriculture and energy production. This aspect is not focus in the region specially in Pakistan and the public has been kept in dark for an unknown reason.
In Peru, 40% of the population live in the mountains but count for only 16% GNP. In the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, the infant mortality is 50% greater than national average. In developing countries, mountain people are predominantly rural and depend on agriculture for subsistence, although in some areas forestry, mining and tourism are important.
The mountain’s terraces and irrigation systems that have been maintained for hundreds or even thousands of years are falling into disrepair in many parts of the world. Simultaneously, expanding mountain’s populations are increasing the pressure on already fragile ecosystems in many countries. The State of Jammu Kashmir is mostly mountainous and the three highest mountains of the world meet in Kashmir.
Its altitude effect its productive both in terms of quality and quantity. In Afghanistan, in winter, the lower hills and while in summer the temporary dwellings at high altitudes very similar to many parts in Kashmir. In Nepal that maturity of wheat and barley is delayed five days for each 100m rise in elevation. For instance, in parts of northern Mongolia, which is in the same latitude as central Europe, monthly mean temperatures can exceed 30c in summer but may plummet to chilling -50c in winter.
For over thousands of years, the mountain farmers have developed technologies uniquely suited to their environment. The farming systems of the Andes, for example, are among the world’s most complex, but many traditional technologies are now in danger of being lost because of social change. They were originally efficient and able to support the existing population densities, but today, unfortunately, they cannot sustain the larger populations. The research in new crops and livestock species and breeds, are creating new agricultural opportunities but Kashmiri territory under Pakistan, officially known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan have missed it and heading for total distinguish of its natural and ancients means of production.
The valleys of Gilgit, Hunza, Yasin, Gupis, Chitral, Chilas and Skardu constitute Gilgit Baltistan. In the north east the great Karakoram range separates the region from the Chinese autonomous province of Sinkiang; to the east lies the Ladakh and the Chinese autonomous regions of Tibet. Rainfall varies from 100mm to 200mm The minimum tem -7 to -20 max 25 to 33c.
The adaptation and variation for example the fruit crops have been cultivated in the northern mountains since very ancient times [Mountain Agriculture and crop genetic resource ISBN 81-204-0472-6]. Because of limited means of transportation until a few decades ago, the people used to live on fruits and a small number of grain crops such as wheat and barley. As noted by Watkins, the apricots and peaches have their primary centre of origin in western China (Watkins, 1976). By introducing to new areas, the fruits were exposed to evolutionary forces and diversified in the new habitats (Bhatti, 1990, 156) The apricots are highly diverse for traits such as fruit skin size, taste and plant type. Halman and Marghulam are of good to high quality. Almonds do vary such as local Kaghzi is of very good quality. A considerable variation in Malus spp was observed.
The further evidence that the primary centre of origin of both Malus and Pyrus lies in the region that includes Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Soviet Central Asia, Himalayan India and Pakistan (Wilcox, 1962)
It is noted that for the genetic erosion, the principal reasons in the area has been, cutting of fruit trees for fire wood and other purposes (there is no alternative to fire wood available in the region), and the introduction of improved fruit plants. This need International attention specially to focus AJK and Gilgit Baltistan for an extensive research and analysis based on mountainous culture and life style.
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and AKRF have been doing an effective contribution both in the fields of research and to translate it’s research work direct to the formers and field workers. The support for further research has gone to the Andes, Ethiopia, the Nepalese mountains and highland of northwestern Thailand.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has been established, for example, to address the complex development needs of the vast Himalayan region. They need to move effectively in the area as mountains of Kashmir and Nepal playing a major role for the sustainability of the South Asian populations. END
