Paddy at the Highest Altitude: The CHHUM Valley, Once upon a time

जुम्ला जिल्लाको पुरानो छुमचौर गाविस, अहिलेको पातारासी गाँउ पालिका वार्ड न. ३ को छुमचौर जिउलो (फाँट) धान खेति गरिने संसारकै अग्लो ठाँउ हो । तिला नदी र हुरी खोलाको पानी लाग्ने यो जिउलो समुन्द्र सतह देखि २८०० देखि ३०५० मीटर उचाईमा छ । यस बर्ष १ रोपनी भन्दा पनि कम खेतमा मात्र धान खेति गरिएको उक्त जिउलोमा १० बर्ष अघिसम्म ५०० रोपनी भन्दा बढिमा धानखेति गरिन्थ्यो । संसारमै सबैभन्दा बढि चिसो सहन सक्ने जुम्ली मार्सी धान लगाईने यो क्षेत्रमा अहिले मकै, कोदो र सिमी लगाउने गरिएको छ । यस्तो गौरवगाथा बोकेको छुमचौरले किन छोड्यो त धान खेति ?

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Chhum Valley is a village situated in Patarasi Village Municipality of Jumla District in the Karnali Zone of north-western Nepal. Situated at an altitude between 2800 to 3050 meters from the sea level, it grows paddy at the highest altitude in-situ in the world. However, this charm of Chhum is declining rapidly. This year, merely 1 Ropani of land was used for paddy cultivation, whereas 10 years back the cultivation used to span around an area of more than 500 Ropanis. Now the farmers have shifted their cultivation to maize, millet and beans from the high altitude paddy ‘Jumli Marshi’. Why has Chhum valley, despite such historical significance left the cultivation of paddy?

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