Climate change visibility in yak ecosystems and needs to promote adaptive practices to strengthen yak based livelihoods in Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan

English Abstract:

Yak is a multipurpose livelihood animal in high altitude habitats in Gilgit- Baltistan, Pakistan where out of 72000 km², 2% and 52% are respectively cultivated land and rangeland/alpine pastures. The main objective of this RRA survey was to assess the visibility of climate change and adaptive capacity of local pastoral community in yak ecosystems. The local communities, although subsistence based, largely depend on integrated farming of livestock (yak) and agriculture since centuries. The climate change is now visible as drastic shifts from traditional cropping patterns to cash crops like potato production and out migrations for employment. Out migration of youth in particular for education and employment downstream/abroad is an emerging concern for sustainable yak production.

Yak has been a comparative advantage in mountainous areas of Gilgit-Baltistan where milk and meat products are major subsistence source of marginalized communities. Yak production is under change stress and becoming threatened because of inbreeding, limiting access to alpine pastures because of glacier anomaly and lack of work force. The local yak gene pool is now going through a genetic shift possibly in response to climate change as the number of F₁ yak cattle hybrids (Zo/zomo) is annually increasing at lower altitudes.

Conclusively, yaks in this region need conservation and improvement through selective as well as cross breeding. Moreover, yak based livelihoods require strengthening in terms of introducing innovative technologies and practices like cultivation of Seabuckthorn (Hophae rhamnoides), Russian olive (Elaegnus angustifolia) and market based value chain of yak products in yak ecosystems.