Which crops can be grown in Tibet’s high-elevation environment?

Tibet’s high-elevation environment supports a variety of crops, with barley—specifically a variety developed for high-altitude cultivation—serving as the primary staple crop.1

Other significant crops grown in the region include:

• Grains: Wheat, corn (maize), millet, buckwheat, and rgya-bra (a grain similar to buckwheat).1
• Legumes and others: Pulses (legumes), beans, hemp, and mustard.1
• Produce: Garden vegetables are grown to supplement the local diet, and the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and flowers has increasingly relied on greenhouse facilities.1

While some rice is raised in the southeast, most of the region's rice, tea, and sugar must be imported. Due to the harsh climate, agricultural activity is often concentrated in lower valleys, where conditions are milder.12