By: Anwar Ali Tsarpa & Md. Hassnain Ebadi

With the passage of time farmers in Kargil have shifted from traditional farming techniques to technology which is resulting in declining in both the quantity and quality of the agriculture produces. Adopting new techniques and technology in agricultural processes without proper thought of the consequences is causing agriculture expensive while the return on production is the least. To reflect on the shift, the Voice of Ladakh correspondent interviewed learned farmers from Trespone, Lunchay of district Kargil of Ladakh.

A farmer named Akhone Mirza Jafri (57) said, there is a huge gap between agricultural techniques used in earlier decades and now. Earlier, in their childhood people were fully dependent on agricultural produces for their livelihood round the year. Thus, the usage of fertilizers, the timing of tilling the land, and the wetness of the land for ploughing are all essential for good produce locally called “chuot” and “thok”, which means the two crops of the spring season.

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Master Baqir Rafiq (52) said, earlier the irrigation season was like a festivity. The snowfall was also as high as it need “kyar”, a wooden ply that prevents the food or leg from immersing in Snow. With the assistance of kyar the farmers used to spread soil on the snow. With the beginning of the month of Nauroz (March), the spread of soil on snow would begin to melt it down for irrigation. By Nauroz the snow would meltdown and soil would appear and irrigation would start on the 12th day after the Nauroz celebration. Now, people are starting irrigation as early as 10 or 5 days after Nauroz.

Appo Hassan (74) said, there was a tradition to plough on the 12th day after the Nouroz celebration which is appropriate as the snow from mountains also meltdown into water accordingly for that particular time.

Master Baqir remembers that when the Hrmos (ploughing season) approaches, a day would be chosen on which seeds would sow on a small piece of land to grab the day as a good omen. Then would search for a partner to the Dzo or Yak from a nearby house or surroundings. Agha Syed Yaseen (70) remember that earlier farmers used to put oil in the horn of the animal that would be used for ploughing.

Sowing of seeds on time is also necessary for good produce. If the seed is not sown at the proper time it leads to freezing of the seat and causes damage to the crop, said Master Baqir. Sowing of seeds proportionately with proper weight is also necessary; but unfortunately, this is not a concern for the farmers now, Baqir expressed resentment. Earlier, we used local fertilizer that was stocked on the field covered with soil to decompose, remembers Syed Yaseen.

Master Baqir remembers that to begin the ploughing process alms would be served called “kha’to-wal”. There were some phrases to reverberate while ploughing the field that are Rebang, Rebang, Rebang; the animals would be called “those with metallic limps”, “those who confront lion”, “Tsar tsar tsar” means “finish” (three times) to tell the animals that the work is finished. The performance was like a festival that everyone enjoyed a lot.

On asking about the difference between traditional ploughing with yak and modern tractor ploughing, Akhone Mirza Jafri said that there is a lot of difference between the two. After preparing the field for ploughing, earlier experts and competent people would be invited or called upon to perform the ploughing. They would ensure to not leave even a small space unploughed what is locally known as “Ngya”, a fish-shaped space or “roul gout” any piece that is not properly dug. The elders would cross-check the ploughing to ensure there is no “Ngya” or “roul-Gout”.

The ploughing process needs two-person, one who leads the animal is called “hLang Teds’pa”. There were trained animals that did not need any person to lead. They would perform with the instruction; they would return when the person calls “haa”. Mostly there was a trend of ploughing with “dZo” while the horse was also used for the same but rarely.

A ploughing technique is known as “Kapthay-hLa” which resembles an eight “8” shape to ensure that no piece of the land remains unploughed. Now, farmers are using tractors to plough which is leading to hardening of the inner surface because of the tractor tyres while only an outer layer is tilled. The hard surface is proved as resistant to both water and fertilizers.

Earlier, after ploughing, there was a tradition to perform “tok-chay” to dig with a pointed shovel to make the soil soft and smooth. The tok-chay softens the soil and smashes the hard pieces of soil called “bongrow” that ease in labelling the soil called rbath. Elders say that sprout is easy from under a stone but hard from under a Bongrow. The women performing tok-chay had a particular and unique pattern that the current generation has not learned or has lost, remembers Akhone Mirza.

After Tokchay, the field would leave for two days, then, the field shapes into compartments called “show”; the process is called “rbath” which needs carefulness to make the soil flat to ensure smooth flow of water.

Another step, when the seed develops into a sapling, is to perform “Yourma” which means uprooting the unwanted grass or weed that allows the actual plant to grow faster and more proper.

Earlier our fields would produce “brang khal”. Now one Khal land produces or gives a return of 4 to 5 khal.

Now, in contrast, people are doing it for the sake of habit to complete as soon as possible. Because people now have enough ration, money and luxury while ancestors faced hardship and were dependent on agriculture produces only, maintained Akhone Mirza. Now, the current generation just wanted to put an end to the work no matter how good is the job performance, said Master Baqir.

The current chemical fertilizers are causing diminishing soil fertility. The government has also scrapped subsidies for chemical fertilizers making the fertilizers expensive. The expense of fertilizer and other technology is making agriculture expensive while the return is not sufficient.

People have now abandoned lands but traditional wisdom says “boobs na saw hRtan” means “hold the ground if feel weak”. God forbid, if such a situation or hardship comes again the land will be the only survival, says Master Baqir.

Appo Hassan (74) says Earlier, we had the turn of irrigation water every eight days; we would skip one turn and irrigate the field on the alternate turn which means once in 16 days. It was enough at that time, now we irrigate more frequently than that but because of the hard and infertile soil caused by the chemical fertilizer, the crop dies early.

Meanwhile, the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh has aimed to make Ladakh an organic state with a ban on chemical fertilisers. In the coming years, it is expected that agriculture in Ladakh become chemical fertiliser free. If the government monitors the entry point to ban the transport of chemical fertilisers the goal of organic Ladakh could be achieved easily.

In the meanwhile, there are concerns that the agricultural land that has become habitual of chemical fertilisers will take a few years to regain its fertility.

Calling it unfortunate, Appo Hassan said, now, the young generation doesn’t even know the names of the agricultural equipment that are shole, shole-da, ngya-shing, hrmit-shing, jhuk-khee, gong-khee, etc. Local agricultural expert Shabbir Hussain Fayaz in an interview with VoL appealed that it is high time to say yes to the call of the Administration to make Ladakh organic and focus on cash crops to boost the local economy and generate employment for unemployed local youth instead of mere focusing on Government sector jobs.