Rs8 cr biotech project to revive Sikkim’s large cardamom

BIJOY GURUNG

GANGTOK, : The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, has sanctioned a landmark Rs8.06 crore research project to revive Sikkim’s large cardamom. This heritage crop has long been the backbone of the Himalayan State’s rural economy.

Over the next three years, this fund will support India’s top biotechnology institutes - ICGEB, NIPGR, IBSD, NABI, and NCBS - to join hands under the national BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment, and Environment) to restore the vitality of this iconic crop, accorded to Science & Technology department here.

The initiative aligns with the State government’s flagship mission, “MeroAlaichi, MeroDhan” (My Cardamom, My Wealth), spearheaded by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay).

Large cardamom (Amomumsubulatum), domesticated centuries ago in Sikkim by the Lepcha community, sustains nearly 20,000 farming families and is regarded as Sikkim’s gift to the world.

Once the driver of rural prosperity, the cash crop of Sikkim is now in crisis. More than 60% of plantations have turned unproductive, yields have halved, and plant lifespan has plummeted from 15–20 years to just 4–5 years. This decline has cost rural households nearly Rs318 crore annually, triggering widespread cash distress and threatening a cultural legacy.

The root of the problem lies in clonal propagation through root suckers, which has weakened genetic diversity, leaving plants vulnerable to devastating viral and fungal epidemics. Soil degradation, heavy monsoon leaching, and ineffective interventions such as distributing diseased sucker plants have compounded the crisis.

A baseline survey and national expert consultations convened by the Department of Science and Technology confirmed the urgent need for modern biotechnology to address this multi-causal decline. Accordingly, a multi-institutional research project was developed to utilise cutting-edge biotechnology in the revival of large cardamom.

This newly sanctioned DBT project will pioneer advanced solutions—protein- and peptide-based antifungal formulations, lignin-based nano-biopesticides, RNA-based viral management tools, and microbial probiotics—ensuring full compatibility with Sikkim’s organic farming mandate.

These interventions will not only help farmers manage immediate disease challenges but also lay the foundation for long-term genetic improvement and resilience, shared the Science & Technology department.

For the first time, farmers can look forward with hope that their traditional crop will regain its lost strength. This mission is more than agriculture- it is about securing livelihoods, protecting cultural heritage, and demonstrating how cutting-edge science can preserve a Himalayan legacy, the department said.