The eastern Himalayan region of India is one of spectacular landscapes and diverse peoples. It consists of the eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura, and a multitude of ethnic minorities and tribes and clans. Globally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot with many rare, endemic flora and fauna, it is also a culturally unique region. This region has tended to be left far behind other parts of the country in the movement towards development however and poverty levels are very high. Apart from being an inaccessible mountain region very low in basic infrastructure, the ethnic variety has also led to many socio-political stresses. The economy is primarily agrarian and at a subsistence level and the underemployed and marginal workers are many due to inadequacy of employment opportunities as well as seasonality of agriculture. Industrialisation is low and not environmentally feasible.

Pragya projects in the north-eastern region primarily address two of the eight states- Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Spread over an area of 7,096 sq. km., Sikkim is rich in economically important plant species including fruits, spices, mushrooms, orchids. Most of the produce is sold raw resulting in low returns to producers and high levels of wastage. The ethnic variety has also led to a rich handicraft base that includes thangka painting, carpet weaving, cane & wood work. The sales however are limited due to poor marketing & transportation infrastructure, and lack of standardisation & quality. In spite of a rich natural and cultural base, poverty and unemployment levels are high. The two least developed districts of West and North Sikkim are Pragya target areas for non-farm enterprise development. Arunachal Pradesh is the most remote and inaccessible bit of the eastern Himalayan region. The natural & cultural wealth of this state makes tourism a high potential industry for it. The two districts of West Kameng and Tawang - comprising a population of 84,000 in an area of 9,500 sq. km. area - are currently being projected as tourist destinations by the local government, and tourist inflows to the region are increasing. The benefits of tourism today however go almost totally to externals. There are few linkages with the mountain economy and its indigenous population. Development is limited to just a few areas, predominantly the few urban centres which are getting progressively congested. Inflation on the other hand, is on the rise which is negatively impacting the lives of the rural poor. These two districts comprise the Pragya project area for community based ecotourism development.

Poverty & Limited Routes to Development ~ The eastern Himalayan valleys are characterised by an almost total dependence on the natural resource base, agriculture as the primary occupation, limited value addition, and a subsistence economy. The topography limits expansion of agriculture and the primitive agri-technology is leading to declining productivity. The low occupational returns creates the vicious cycle of natural resource utilisation to unsustainable levels and hence degradation and lowered returns. In these pristine areas however, development has few options. The typical route for economic betterment involving the setting up of large scale manufacturing facilities would be inappropriate since it would result in the destruction of the ecology & culture, apart from requiring large infusion of capital which is unviable for these small populations.


The Potential of Non-Farm Enterprise & Tourism ~ Small/micro enterprises in the rural non-farm sector form a potentially important route for development of mountain regions like Sikkim. The technologies are appropriate for the fragile ecology. They can generate greater income and lower poverty, unemployment and rural-urban migration. They help relieve pressure on the land and improve agricultural returns and resource productivity through agro-processing. Sikkim has enormous potential for non-farm sector enterprise, designed around its rich natural & cultural heritage, and traditional knowledge & skills - for instance handicrafts, food processing. Given their attraction as tourism destinations, tourism development is also inevitable and it is imperative that this is used for the benefit of rural host communities, directing it towards sustainable development of underdeveloped regions. Rural tourism in areas like Arunachal Pradesh offers several potential advantages for it permits the commercial utilisation of indigenous environmental & cultural resources, and can be combined with sectors like ethnic foods & handicrafts. It is relatively labour intensive, concentrated in small enterprises, does not require extensive infrastructure build up, and can produce higher returns than traditional products. The establishment of such small non-farm enterprise that is rural and community-based will improve the economic and employment status of the indigenous population while preserving its heritage.


Threatened Habitats & Herbal Wealth ~ The wide variety of climatic conditions and altitudinal differences of the region have given rise to different forest types which give rise to corresponding natural shelter, food, and wildlife. A large part of the total land area of the region is forested, harbouring hundreds of species, among these a great wealth of medicinal plants as well. The main threats to this biodiversity hotspot comes from the following: wood-based industries, small timber and NTFP collection, hunting for consumption, human settlements & development, fuelwood collection, illicit felling & smuggling, and developmental projects. A significant part of the forests has been identified as severely degraded and a large part of the agricultural land is under shifting cultivation. A major threat to the region‘s ecosystem also comes from the timber based industries and the large-scale removal of medicinal & aromatic plants for local use and commercial trade. The environmental needs of the region include: conservation of habitats, flora & fauna, and soil & water management. However, there is very little development and conservation action in the region. The region is remote and difficult, and working there extremely challenging. High altitudes, lack of road connectivity, inhospitable climate, lack of accommodation infrastructure, closed communities, frequent landslides and rock-falls, lead to very high physical stress and the lack of infrastructure causes very high operating costs, discouraging all but the most dedicated from working in the region.