79
20.38% of India’s total fish production is from the IHR states (Agricultural Statistics
at a Glance 2016). According to FIBL & IFOAM Year Book 2015, India ranks 15th
in terms of World’s Organic Agricultural land as per 2013 data. For instance, Sikkim
and Mizoram are declared to be fully organic along with many districts of
Uttarakhand.
4 Challenge and Opportunities in the IHR
While the IHR has biological species richness, cultural diversity and topographical
variations that manifest an array of climatic variabilities, it still provides ample
opportunities for agricultural heritage. Nevertheless, the changing climate scenario
impacts the Himalayan ecosystems with a rising trend of extreme warm events, falling trends in extreme cold events, increasing incidences of floods and cloudbursts,
irregularity in rainfall patterns and changing flowering and fruiting season of different crops, etc. (Negi et al. 2012). Eventually, agriculture becomes the most vulnerable profession and faces a lot of challenges like small and fragmented land holdings,
crop-raiding by wild animals, low productivity, water scarcity, shifting cultivation
in the north-eastern states, greater human migration from the hills, lack of irrigation
facilities, lesser off-farm employment opportunities vis-à-vis increased agriculture
labour shortage and costs, lack of proper transport and market availability, extreme
climatic events (e.g. Kedarnath disaster 2013, Malpa landslide 1998) and most
importantly utmost monsoon dependency (Khanduri 2017; NIDM 2015). The farmers eventually look out for alternative income sources, thus abandoning their agriculture fields where the weed species invade and further damage the natural
resources in-situ (Baniya et al. 2009).
5 Technological Interventions for Climate Resilience
in Agriculture
For the proper sustenance of Himalayan ecosystem, it is very important to make the
Himalayan farmers’ climate resilient, as agriculture is the main source of livelihood
in the region (Arunachalam 2014; Arunachalam and Ayyappan 2013; Singh et al.
2010). The Task Force on Himalayan Agriculture led by the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) identified a few potential technologies for introduction in the Himalayan villages under the National Mission for Sustaining the
Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) (Box 1). Descriptions of 14 such technologies
have been given in Table 1. These technologies are being implemented as part of the
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to promote adaptation and
achieve climate resilience in agriculture (Ngachan et al. 2015). The task force has so
far been successful in attracting farmers towards the modern agricultural tools and
technologies to withstand climate change and has strengthened them with its strong
Potential Technologies for Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Indian Himalayan Region
20.38% of India’s total fish production is from the IHR states (Agricultural Statistics
at a Glance 2016). According to FIBL & IFOAM Year Book 2015, India ranks 15th
in terms of World’s Organic Agricultural land as per 2013 data. For instance, Sikkim
and Mizoram are declared to be fully organic along with many districts of
Uttarakhand.
4 Challenge and Opportunities in the IHR
While the IHR has biological species richness, cultural diversity and topographical
variations that manifest an array of climatic variabilities, it still provides ample
opportunities for agricultural heritage. Nevertheless, the changing climate scenario
impacts the Himalayan ecosystems with a rising trend of extreme warm events, falling trends in extreme cold events, increasing incidences of floods and cloudbursts,
irregularity in rainfall patterns and changing flowering and fruiting season of different crops, etc. (Negi et al. 2012). Eventually, agriculture becomes the most vulnerable profession and faces a lot of challenges like small and fragmented land holdings,
crop-raiding by wild animals, low productivity, water scarcity, shifting cultivation
in the north-eastern states, greater human migration from the hills, lack of irrigation
facilities, lesser off-farm employment opportunities vis-à-vis increased agriculture
labour shortage and costs, lack of proper transport and market availability, extreme
climatic events (e.g. Kedarnath disaster 2013, Malpa landslide 1998) and most
importantly utmost monsoon dependency (Khanduri 2017; NIDM 2015). The farmers eventually look out for alternative income sources, thus abandoning their agriculture fields where the weed species invade and further damage the natural
resources in-situ (Baniya et al. 2009).
5 Technological Interventions for Climate Resilience
in Agriculture
For the proper sustenance of Himalayan ecosystem, it is very important to make the
Himalayan farmers’ climate resilient, as agriculture is the main source of livelihood
in the region (Arunachalam 2014; Arunachalam and Ayyappan 2013; Singh et al.
2010). The Task Force on Himalayan Agriculture led by the Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) identified a few potential technologies for introduction in the Himalayan villages under the National Mission for Sustaining the
Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) (Box 1). Descriptions of 14 such technologies
have been given in Table 1. These technologies are being implemented as part of the
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to promote adaptation and
achieve climate resilience in agriculture (Ngachan et al. 2015). The task force has so
far been successful in attracting farmers towards the modern agricultural tools and
technologies to withstand climate change and has strengthened them with its strong
Potential Technologies for Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Indian Himalayan Region