Agriculture in Thiksey is a testament to human ingenuity in an extreme environment. The village practices intensive, high-altitude irrigated farming. The primary crops are barley (used to make the staple food *tsampa* and the local brew *chhang*), wheat, mustard, peas, and potatoes.
Because rainfall is negligible, all farming depends on *kuls* (traditional irrigation channels) that direct glacial meltwater from the high mountains down to the terraced fields. Water distribution is often managed by a community-appointed official (the *churpon*), ensuring equitable sharing. Livestock also plays a critical role; families keep dzo (a hybrid of yak and cow) for plowing fields, alongside sheep and goats for wool and meat. Small orchards of apples and apricots thrive in sheltered, sunny pockets of the valley.
