In the remote Himalayan valley of Gurez in Indian-administered Kashmir, families have long relied on traditional underground storage pits called khraws to preserve potatoes, turnips, and cabbages through harsh winters when heavy snow isolates communities and temperatures plummet below freezing. The practice involves lining pits with straw and sealing them against the cold, allowing food to last through months when external supply routes become impassable.
However, the khraw tradition is declining rapidly as improved road infrastructure, outmigration of young people, and easier access to commercial markets reduce the necessity for traditional food preservation methods. Families that once maintained multiple pits now purchase potatoes from markets or government sources. This shift has direct consequences for agricultural biodiversity, as many locally adapted potato varieties—cultivated and refined over generations to thrive in Gurez’s specific climate and conditions—are disappearing from cultivation.
Researchers at India’s National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources have documented the erosion of genetic diversity in the valley’s potatoes, with some varieties becoming difficult or impossible to locate during follow-up surveys. Scientists emphasize that indigenous varieties may possess valuable characteristics suited to local environmental conditions, including cold tolerance and pest resistance, that remain poorly understood and could prove important for future food security. The loss is compounded by the fact that this agricultural knowledge—how to select, cultivate, store, and replant appropriate varieties—exists primarily within farming communities and is not being systematically documented.
Climate pressures are intensifying the challenges faced by Gurez farmers, with residents reporting reduced snowfall, drier springs, and water shortages that have affected potato yields. Additionally, the Kishanganga hydroelectric project has claimed cultivable land through acquisition and submergence, further reducing farming incentives.
Scientists and agricultural experts have proposed potential preservation strategies, including geographical indication designations that could increase market value and recognition of local varieties. However, experts stress that formal recognition alone is insufficient; the varieties must be identified, documented, and maintained in active cultivation before they vanish entirely, taking with them irreplaceable knowledge accumulated over generations.
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