Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

In the mountain areas of Northern Pakistan different indigenous systems of
medicine exist since centuries <strong>and</strong> cater the needs of nearly 70 % human population
<strong>and</strong> livestock (Singh et al. 2003). Through experience complementary
interrelations have been evolved leading to better underst<strong>and</strong>ing of nature at
local level <strong>and</strong> therefore, enhanced the chances of human survival in harsh
mountain environments (McCorkle 1992). This “primitive” way of life is fast
disappearing. The relentless exploitation during the transition from traditions
to modern <strong>and</strong> subsistence to market orientation disturbed the ecological balance
<strong>and</strong> adversely affected their economic life along with the resource base.
The result was that slowly the mountain people lost control over their economic
destiny (Singh et al. 2003). The reasons for the degrading exploitation of natural
resources are however, not so simple, some rooted deeply in development
patterns, rapidly increasing population, fragmentation of l<strong>and</strong>-holdings <strong>and</strong>
slow growth of job opportunities (Repetto <strong>and</strong> Gillis 1990), <strong>and</strong> other in lack
of effective institutional mechanisms.
Cumin (zeera) is found all over Gilgit-Baltistan <strong>and</strong> Chitral, however in Rattu
(upper Astore) area zeera, is much valued (Rasool 1998). The market price varies
from PRs 150 to 300 per kg depending on the quality <strong>and</strong> smell. The herb
is being collected by shepherds <strong>and</strong> farmers from the pastures <strong>and</strong> brought to
the market for sale. Though it is categorized as minor forest produce under the
provision The Forest Act 1927 (West Pakistan Amendment 1964), yet there is
no restriction on its extraction <strong>and</strong> large scale extraction <strong>and</strong> export is allowed
by the Forest department on payment of a royalty.
3.2.1 Support to the production <strong>and</strong> processing of Medicinal <strong>and</strong> Aromatic
Plants
The first project to invest in MAP in Northern Mountains of Pakistan was
the Dutch Assisted Environmental Rehabilitation Project to identify the
availability of different MAPs available in the region <strong>and</strong> current practices
of harvesting. The WWF <strong>and</strong> SDC financed Innovation for Poverty Reduction
Project (IPRP) had main focus to improve to investigate the marketing
<strong>and</strong> improve the processing of MAP to have higher returns to the mountain
dwellers involved in harvesting, processing <strong>and</strong> sale of MAP. The Mountain
Areas Conservancy Project mainly focused on exploring the sustainable harvest
capacity at different mountain regions. Efforts were also undertaken for commercial
cultivation of important Medicinal <strong>and</strong> Aromatic Plants (Table 1), but
these could not be found competitive with the other commonly grown cash <strong>and</strong>
staple crops in the region.
192