Cultivation of Black Cardamom and Climate Economic Management Challenges in Mountainous Regions of Bhutan

Abstract

Black Cardamom are commonly grown crop in eastern Himalayan countries and in Bhutan, the cultivation of Black Cardamom are specially done in south western districts whereby the people immensely depend on the crop for their livelihood income. Further, the crop significantly contributes in gross domestic product growth as it falls under the top ten highly exported commodity of the country. The high value obtained from Black Cardamom has encouraged farmers to expand the cultivation in different land use types. When the farmers are gaining income, the challenges in management of cultivated Black Cardamom are also increasing. In the recent times, vital change in climate activity have been recorded. The erratic temperature and rainfall are declining the yield of Black Cardamom. The increasing number of pest and diseases outbreak in cultivated land are creating concern and challenge on the farmers depending on Black Cardamom for living. The farmers are in dismay with no proper management skills and techniques taught to them. Relying on traditional methods for improving the productivity has failed to be a good strategy with changing time and climate being erratic. The climate resilient management activity need to be initiated and enormous studies are in need to prevent the future catastrophe on Black Cardamom and the cultivator’s livelihood.