Since the ecosystem of the hill regions is very different from the plains, it is essential to focus on the agriculture of the hill districts of Uttarakhand in a different manner. Hence, the agriculture program focuses on issues, those hinders the agriculture development and also an ignored sector in the mountains. Farmer in the hills has been primarily engaged in subsistence agriculture. The low agricultural yield in the hills reflects the small size and scattered land holdings, difficult terrain, lack of irrigation facilities and improved inputs and technology, and lack of credit and marketing facilities. The increasing climate variability has further affected these hill agro-ecosystems adversely. Markets have not been developed in the high mountain because the area contributes the least to the State’s production.
With the blend of limitations and advantages of Uttarakhand’s mountain topography and its unique agricultural ecosystem, Himmotthan has considered the key interventions in agriculture program which includes, introduction of high yielding varieties and production technologies, seed production, farm mechanization, establishment of custom hiring center, introduction of solar lift irrigation system, ensuring critical inputs through community institution run Community Facility Center (CFC), developing local youth as agent of dissemination of technologies and building community institutions for developing and sustaining market linkages.
Himmotthan has designed to take forward the pilot interventions carried out over the past few years. A project entitled, ‘Maximizing Mountain Agriculture Project’ funded by ‘The Hans Foundation (THF)’ was implemented in 90 villages spread out in the 6 clusters of 6 mountain districts. The project has been implemented in participatory manner by involving communities, project partners, government line department, R&D institutes and external resource persons.
The Uttarakhand’s mountains are rainfed and unirrigated with poor top soils. Pulses and legumes have traditionally been grown as they are hardy, survive well without water and other inputs, and are a major source of protein, and have a high market value. However, regional farmers face increasing losses in pulse production due to a lack of improved varieties, production and post-harvest technologies, value addition and the lack of organised marketing in the region. Therefore, Himmotthan has rolled out another project entitled, ‘Mission Pulses- Uttarakhand’ with the support of the ‘Tata Trusts’. An integrated, community institution-driven model will be promoted and strengthened to establish a systematic, sustainable, pulse-legume supply chain in mission mode.
Himmotthan has also implemented post disaster livelihood projects with the support of Tata Relief Committee and Titan, under which agriculture was the key component for the interventions. Overall, the agriculture initiative has reached out to 225 villages across 18 project clusters from 9 mountain districts, with over 18,000 HHs involved in cultivation, processing and marketing of pulses, spices, high value crops and seed.