Zanskar

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Martin Hodson</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Martin Hodson"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="096b6780.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="120" ALT="Zanskar Valley, Ladakh" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The Zanskar Valley, Ladakh, Northern India (photo S. Mankelow) <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#003399" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Zanskar</I></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/bms/ugcourses/envsci/grad-02.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/bms/ugc"><U><B>Seb Mankelow</B></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > presented a paper at the Ninth Colloquium of the International Association for Ladakh Studies (IALS) which was held between the 25-27 August 1999 in Leh, Ladakh (Northern India):</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <U>The Introduction of Modern Chemical Fertiliser to the Zanskar Valley, Ladakh and its Effects on Agricultural Productivity, Soil Quality and Zanskari Society.</U></div> <bR> <div> Traditional Ladakhi farming methods can produce crop yields comparable to that of European intensive agricultural systems. Despite this, modern chemical fertilisers are now being applied to increase yields. Environmentalists are concerned that this change will upset the area's ecological and social balance. These concerns are investigated in the village of Padum, Zanskar. Fieldwork focused upon the comparison of barley yields and soil quality between fields subject to either traditional or modern fertilisers. Measurements taken from both fertiliser regimes reveal little difference in yield and soil quality. Zanskaris stressed the short-term benefits of modern fertiliser, which in Padum is principally used to grow a taller crop. As crop stems supplement stores of winter fodder the Zanskaris are offsetting a fodder shortage resulting from increased land division. Attention is also drawn to change in society and how the distribution and acquisition of modern fertiliser potentially contributes to social division.</div> <bR> <div> He also wrote:</div> <div> Mankelow, S. (1999) 'Tipping or Maintaining the Balance? The Introduction of Modern Chemical Fertiliser to the Zanskar Valley, Ladakh' in Social Biology and Human Affairs Vol.64 No.2 Published by the Biosocial Society Cambridge University press ISSN 0143-5051</div> <bR> <div> Seb's email addresses are</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:seb@sebmankelow.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:seb@sebmankelow.com"><U>seb@sebmankelow.com</U></A> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >(accessed most days)</FONT></div> <div> and</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:sebonthehill@yahoo.co.uk" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:sebonthehill@yahoo.co.uk"><U>sebonthehill@yahoo.co.uk</U></A> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >(travel email for use when he is out of the UK)</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>