By: RASHID AHMAD RATHER
This paper examines how traditional grazing arrangements in Chiranbal, Kashmir, have shifted from barter to cash payments. By analyzing contracts from 2015to 2023 and conducting ethnographic fieldwork, we document that Gujjar-Bakkarwal herders now receive ₹150–200 per sheep per month, replacing historical exchanges of wool and ghee. The study shows that contractual clauses now formalize traditional ecological knowledge, power dynamics are shifting toward herders, and climate change is driving this economic transition. This research contributes to understanding how pastoral communities adapt to modern economic pressures while maintaining cultural continuity.
