Traditional agricultural practices in the Western Himalaya are in concord with local environmental conditions. But introduction of high yield crop varieties (hyvs) and orchards have led to a decline in such practices; the region's rich biodiversity has also suffered. The Chhakinal watershed area in Kulu district, Himachal Pradesh, is among those affected.

Till three decades back, agriculture here was a complex product of crop and animal husbandry and use of forest-based resources. As many as 17 crops were cultivated in this 45-square kilometre (sq km) area