Promoting Livelihoods by Innovation in temperate horticulture crops in Garhwal and Kumaun regions of Uttarakhand
A change in weather of the fragile mountain ecosystems can bring about large scale changes in the form of soil erosion, landslides and flash floods, etc. The rise in average temperature, long spells of drought during summer, and less snowfall during winter have reduced large area supposed to be marginally suitable for temperate horticulture. Apple cultivation has been adversely affected in many parts of Uttarakhand and hence the apple belt is shifting towards the higher altitudes.
Climate change is one of the factors that have reduced temperate fruit production in hilly areas of Uttarakhand. Chilling requirement is not fulfilled resulting into low yield of plants. Also, in Uttarakhand quality planting material is not available for farmers and all the planting material is imported from other states like HP and J&K. Although the planting material is propagated in nurseries, it is usually not virus indexed and of poor quality. Farmers lacking knowledge on orchard management also results in decline in production. Eighty percent of the existing orchards are on seedling and lacking marketable quality. This issue needed to be addressed so that quality planting material can be made available with best package of practices.
Sustaining livelihood of 1000 farmers through innovation in temperate horticulture and soil health management in four blocks of Uttarakhand.
Approx. 40000 plants of temperate fruits will be planted in project areas.
Ensuring quality germplasm for future by development of 3 high tech nurseries in Kumaun and Garhwal area of Uttarakhand.
Rejuvenation of 40,000 existing plants of apple in three blocks of Uttarakhand state.
Establishment of 40 PCDOs (Progeny cum demonstration orchard) as mother orchards.
Action research on 60 new orchard of improved varieties of Almond will be established.
Increase in income of farmers by Rs 25,000 per farmers from third year of plantation.
Ensuring livelihood for next 30 years will address the issue of migration from hills of Uttarakhand. Increase in the field/soil based knowledge of the community to ensure the security of food & livelihood of the communities apart from making them resilient to climate change.
Book defining the existing status of temperate horticulture in Uttarakhand will be a reference material for any studies to be conducted in future.
3 years (from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2020)
Establishing germplasm of improved climate resilient varieties of temperate fruits with technology transfer from ICAR-CITH, Srinagar and CISR-IHBT e.g. Apple, Walnut and Almond (PPA technology).
Capacity building of stakeholder on temperate horticulture and soil management practices for increasing yield of fruits assuring livelihood of farmers.
Rejuvenation of old orchards by introducing top grafting of low chilling cultivars of temperate fruits.
Naugaon, Kapkot and Chakrata areas of Uttarakhand
Overall 1000 farmers will be benefitted with the interventions
Dr Suhasini Huddone Project Manager
Mr Umesh Kumar Tissue Culture Lab Manager/RA-I
Mr. Mayank Panwar Research Assistant/JPF
Mr. Kuldeep Negi Field Facilitator
Mr. Vijay Singh Rana Field Facilitator
Mr. Soben Field Facilitator
1. ICAR-Central Institute for Temperate Horticulture (ICAR-CITH), Old Airport Rd, Rangreth, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Pin Code: 190007
2. CSIT-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Post Box. No. 06, Palampur - 176061 (H.P.) INDIA