Johar Valley
More actions
| Johar Valley | |
|---|---|
| Johar | |
| ActiveCannabis last recorded here in 2025 | |
| Hierarchy | |
| Gene Pool | South Asian Gene Pool |
| Regional Complex | Himalayas |
| Growing Region | Western Himalayas |
| Geography | |
| Country | India |
| Province/State | Uttarakhand |
| District | Pithoragarh District |
| Coordinates | 30.24, 80.22 |
| Landscape | |
| Elevation | 1,384–4,000 m |
| Terrain | High-altitude glacial valley, terraced slopes |
| Climate | |
| Climate Type | Alpine and sub-alpine |
| Seasons | Planting April-May, Harvest October-November |
| Growing history | |
| Dated accessions | 2025 |
| Documentation | |
| Appellations | 0 |
| Accessions | 7 |
| Conservation | |
| Populations | none documented yet |
Johar Valley is a landrace cannabis growing area in Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand, India, comprising the upper valley of the Goriganga river above Munsyari; the valley from Munsyari down is Gori Valley. Its accessions come from Saimut, above Munsyari, and from the upper-valley villages of Martoli, Burphu, Bilju and Panchhu, between 1,384 and 3,360 m. Plantings are made in April-May with harvest in October-November.
Field documentation in the valley was conducted by Isabella and Roy for the Zomia Collective in September 2025.
Geography
Johar Valley sits in the upper Goriganga catchment, draining south from the Indo-Tibetan watershed near Milam Glacier into the Kali river system. The valley forms part of the Kumaon sub-range of the Western Himalayas in eastern Uttarakhand and is bordered to the north by Tibet. The upper-valley villages documented for cannabis cultivation lie above the road head at Munsyari, accessed by foot trails through the Munsyari Tehsil of Pithoragarh District. From Munsyari down, the river runs through Gori Valley to the Kali at Jauljibi.
Cultivation
Growing practices
Sourcing types
Documented accessions span multiple sourcing modes: village selections from cultivated plants, hand selections from individual plants, household and retail sources from shopkeepers and resident families. Refer to the accession table below for per-village classification.
Accessions
| Accession ID | Name | Locality | Elevation | Classification | Selection | Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250030 | Johar Valley Saimat General Population 2024 | Saimut | 1,384 m | Landrace | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250031 | Johar Valley Panchu Village Glacier Selection 2024 | Panchhu | 3,360 m | Landrace | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250032 | Johar Valley Panchu Village Feral Glacier Selection 2025 | Panchhu | 3,287 m | Feral | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250033 | Johar Valley Burphu Village Feral Glacier Selection 2025 | Burphu | 3,250 m | Landrace | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250034 | Johar Valley Burphu Village Glacier Selection 2024 | Burphu | 3,250 m | Landrace | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250035 | Johar Valley Bilju Village Feral Glacier Selection 2025 | Bilju | 3,250 m | Feral | Multiple plants | |
| ZOM-IND-UTT-0920250036 | Johar Valley Martoli Village Glacier Selection 2025 | Martoli | 3,350 m | Feral | Single plant |
Conservation Status
Conservation status: Vulnerable — Traditional high-altitude cultivation across a small number of villages, no active eradication documented, limited prior documentation in the literature.
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