Introduction.
Globally, more than 86 sites are recognized under the FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems GIAHS). China, with 25 sites, leads the list and has added over 14 in the past decade alone. India, despite its deep agricultural dependence, has only three: Pampore of Kashmir, the Kuttanad below-sea-level farming system of Kerala, and the Koraput traditional agriculture of Odisha. This shortfall stems from two key reasons: limited policy
support from the government and a lack of interdisciplinary academic research.
- To qualify as a GIAHS site, a landscape must secure food and livelihoods, conserve biodiversity, preserve traditional knowledge, sustain cultural and social institutions, and embody a resilient human–nature interaction. Such recognition demands a multidisciplinary study approach. ( See more here https://www.fao.org/giahs/en)
What are Kuhls
The Kuhls of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, provide a striking case. This nearly 300-year-old network of gravity-fed, community-managed irrigation channels is renowned worldwide as a model of collective resource management. While numerous studies exist, most notably J. Mark Baker’s The Kuhls of Kangra: Community-managed Irrigation in the Western Himalaya, no research so far has fully explored the system’s holistic potential as a GIAHS candidate.
The Kangra system rests on three components: the glacial–fluvial outwash plains, the Kuhl irrigation channels, and the community institutions that manage them.(See:- Kangra Agriculture System)
Kuhls and Quaternary Plains of Kangra
The plains, spread over roughly 356 sq. km, are a legacy of Late Quaternary fan-building activity when ice-age
glaciers and monsoons deposited vast moraines across the valley. These fertile outwash plains, bounded to the north by the snow-clad Dhauladhar range and to the south by the Shivalik hills, are said to be the largest glacial–fluvial plain of the Himalaya. They represent an exceptional landscape, one of the prerequisite conditions for GIAHS. Kuhls are manually dug water channels. They collect river water at the upper reaches and divert it to the plains.
Who Built the Kuhls
Kuhls are manually dug water channels. They collect river water at the upper reaches and divert it to the plains.While most Kuhls were constructed by local farmers, most notably the Grit community (name derived from ghee), larger Kuhls were state-sponsored. There are roughly 715 major Kuhls and 2,500 minor Kuhls. With rapid urbanization, Kuhls are either dying out or integrating with evolving systems. Such an evolution has also been noticed in L’Horta de València of Spain, a GIAHS site that shares many similarities with the Kangra Kuhl
system.
Kuhls are community-managed systems, though with increasing government involvement and decreasing people’s participation. A British-era text, Riwaj-i-Abpashi (Book of Irrigation Customs, 1918), defines the usage of Kuhls.
Role of Kohli in Kuhl Management
The kohli, or village waterman, is overall in charge of the system. His duty involves timely and equal distribution of water among villages and villagers. The kohli also ensures people’s participation in the regular maintenance of
Kuhls. The region is also rich in biodiversity.
Kuhls of Kangra and Cultural Heritage
Since Mughal times it has been known for its rice heritage. In 2005, Kangra Tea was awarded a GI tag. The region is also known for introducing scientific beekeeping in India, where the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) was introduced for the first time. From a cultural point of view, the region is equally rich. Its exceptional landscape attracts thousands of tourists from around the world. Dharamshala, Palampur, and Bir Billing are leading tourist destinations. Kangra painting, which began evolving in the 17th century, was awarded a GI tag in 2010. Thus, the region represents a unique landscape and active human–nature interaction. It is high time we start looking beyond the Kuhls and place equal focus on the regional landscape and cultural components. If sufficient efforts are put in place, the Kangra Kuhls can be included in the GIAHS list.
Written by Pardeep Kumar, Author of the book: The Kangra Agricultural System: A GIAHS Perspective on Heritage and Resilience (Website: geohimachal.com). (see here:
