The Apatani people of India’s Eastern Himalayas practise a unique form of farming where two crops of rice (mipya and emoh) and one crop of fish (ngihi) are raised together. The wet rice fields are irrigated through well-managed canal systems managed by diverting streams that originate in the surrounding forests into a single canal — connected with bamboo or pinewood pipe. The paddy and fish ponds are strategically positioned to receive all the run off from the hills.
They have been farming around the Yero Valley for centuries and their reverence for nature is at the centre of all their practice. Their rice cultivation is often why the Apatani people are considered one of the most advanced tribal communities in northeastern India. They have been known for their rich economy for decades and good knowledge of land, forest and water management.
Due to these special attributes of sustainable farming systems and people’s traditional ecological knowledge in sustaining ecosystems, the plateau is in the process of being declared a UNESCO World Heritage centre.
