The proposed GIAHS project, Sikkim Himalaya-Agriculture is a part of globally significant biodiversity hot spots of the world within the greater quadri-national junction of Khanchendzonga landscape in the Eastern Himalayas. The region is an assemblage of sacred landscapes called Demazong (the valley of rice) or the Shangrila (the hidden paradise on earth). This cultural-landscape is endowed with rich agrobiodiversity adapted and managed through traditional ecological knowledge of the culturally diverse ethnic communities. It comprises of trans-Himalayan agro-pastoral system of the Dokpas in the alpine plateaus, traditional agroforestry such as alder-cardamom and farm-based systems in the temperate zones, and terraced/valley rice systems in the lower sub-tropical zones. It is paradoxical to see that culturally and biologically diverse landscapes are marginalized. The development opportunities are enormous but persistent problems of poverty, access to markets, economic and ecological fragility are prevalent. This proposal envisage to foster wider recognition of the Sikkim-Himalayan ecosystems and practices for local, national, regional and global importance by proper validation of greater capacity of ecological resilience and environmental services. Outcomes should ensure sustainable development through appropriate capacity building, institutional support, and strengthening. Main activities are :

• Assess and document trans-Himalayan ecosystems and adaptive traditional agriculture systems. Biophysical diversity, management regimes, social institutions/organizations and cultural services will be strengthened in relation to diversification of sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation;
• Validate and demonstrate the agricultural biodiversity management systems at all levels of ecosystems, species and genetic diversities from subtropical agro-ecological to alpine agro-pastoral zones for mainstreaming in development processes;  
• Create networking with the institutions (government, R&D, NGOs, CBOs) of the region and UNU for dialogue on the issues and appropriate policy interventions to strengthen and up-scaling of the systems and reduce the biodiversity loss and ecological degradation for achieving environmental sustainability