Himmotthan has been working extensively in agriculture revival since the
2013 Kedarnath disaster, across the main disaster hit valleys, and more recently
in 2016, piloted it’s first immediate, post disaster agriculture revival
project. In 7 villages of Silyara cluster, Tehri, on May 28th 2016,
flash floods due to heavy rainfall triggered a series of landslides, burying
fertile agriculture fields with mud, rocks and debris; destroying standing
crops, nurseries, vegetable gardens, homes, markets and schools. The floods
ruined up till 75% of agriculture land in impacted villages. Two main channels
which supplied irrigation to 13 villages were damaged, hitting cultivation. Of
seven, 5 villages were severely affected. Himmotthan carried out immediate
relief, distributing food, shelter, bedding, solar lamps, water filters,
sanitation kits to 406 families, along with which, for those whose fields were
silted, agricultural/ digging tools. The teams organized meetings in villages
discussing options for agricultural revival. With experts, rainfed, hardy and
short duration crops were identified, to give better yields and nutrition, and
reduce immediate vulnerability (these included Urad, Okra, Maize, Basmati rice
by direct sowing, and French bean). Agriculture tool kits were supplied were
used to clear the looser debris, but the fields where planted as they lay,
without too much labour, basically using a No-till approach.
Rapid trainings on improved techniques with simultaneous arrangements for
input supplies took place. Despite the rough fields, results for the new,
rain-fed crops were encouraging: (i) introduced basmati var. Pusa 1509 - 26.5 Q/
ha, (ii) Urad (black gram) - 13.75 Q/ ha, (iii) Okra - 20.5 Q/ ha, (iv) Maize -
23.5 Q/ha. Though yields were lower than State averages the pilot worked very
well. Farmers were delighted by the understanding that a landslide hit field
could yield, giving needed nutrition and contributing directly to food security
in a post-disaster season. Fodder was an additional output of the basmati, urad
and maize crops. Farmers also were able to sell the okra, urad and maize in
local markets. The French bean crop however failed due to heavy rainfall during
the period.