81
S.
no.
Technology/
intervention
Benefits
5. Jalkunds
and water
harvesting structures
Although, Himalayan region is blessed with significant amount of rainfall all around the year, but it is also important to prepare the
hill farmers for any kind of uncertainty like draught or irregular rainfall pattern. For this, NMSHE has introduced several Jalkunds
with a capacity of 30,000 litre and 61,860 litre in different pilot sites to enable the water availability in water scarcity period for crops
and livestock by harvesting the rainwater. This technology has widely been adopted in all the hill states of north-east and lower
middle Himalayas. Along with the Jalkunds,
other water harvesting structures (HDPE-1000 μ and LDPE-300 GSM) with a capacity
of 8.75 lakhs litre and dimensions of 35 m × 10 m × 2.5 m are also being made at various pilot sites for increasing the water
availability during the lean period.
6. Water conveyance
system
Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation (IISWC), Dehradun has built a water conveyance system comprising of 650 m long
pipeline, 10.5 m
3
storage and 8 m
3
distribution tanks in Kumhali village, Himachal Pradesh. Installation of GI/HDPE/PVC pipeline
for conveying water from source to the cropped area is a suitable technology for hill farmers. This technology will play a crucial role
in water management in hilly regions where the place for water storage is too far from the place of water use by connecting the
source to sink in a controlled manner and providing timely irrigation to agricultural crops as change in rainfall pattern has adversely
affected 90% of rain-fed agricultural land in north-west Himalayan region.
7. Raised and sunken
bed technology (RSB)
This technology was adopted to increase the cropping intensity, diversification, productivity and income by proper use of available
resources. Adoptions of permanent RSB system with proper cropping sequence in paddies in lowlands of the north-eastern region of
India will definitely help in increasing the production and productivity of cereals and vegetables along with enhancing cropping
intensity, employment, and farmers’ income substantially. It is possible to diversify the cropping system with rice–pea or rice–lentil
in sunken beds and vegetables such as tomato–okra–broccoli, tomato–brinjal–broccoli, etc.,
on raised beds with effective utilization
of land. Also, rice + cowpea was observed to be the most suitable combination for raised and sunken bed technology (Das et al.
2014). This technology will increase the productivity per unit of input including land and water while at the same time, it encourages
self-employment and upliftment of resource- poor hill farmers through crop intensification, efficient land utilization, and crop
diversification. It also brought improvement in the quality of life of small and marginal farmers by increasing income from the small
piece of land.
8. Live fish
transportation device
for hills
Transportation of live fish seed especially the advanced fingerlings or stunt fish for the stocking in farmer’s ponds is a major
constraint in the mid altitudinal areas. This technology has helped in transporting fishes and fingerlings to remote villages of
Himalaya where the transfer of live fishes was difficult in the past.
9. Azolla tanks
Azolla tank of 12.5 m
3
capacity is used for azolla cultivation in in Himalayan region. Azolla is utilized as a feed for fish, fodder for
goat and as a bio-fertilizers. In this way, farmers are provided ecofriendly practices to cope up climate change with diversified
sustainable production. Because of the high nutritious value and its easily digestible property, it is also being included in the diet of
Carp in mid hills. As the nitrogen fixing capability of azolla is very good, hence, it is being introduced as a part of intercropping
(WRC paddy + Azolla + Zero tillage (Toria/peas) + Mushroom) in Arunachal Pradesh.
(continued)
Potential Technologies for Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Indian Himalayan Region
S.
no.
Technology/
intervention
Benefits
5. Jalkunds
and water
harvesting structures
Although, Himalayan region is blessed with significant amount of rainfall all around the year, but it is also important to prepare the
hill farmers for any kind of uncertainty like draught or irregular rainfall pattern. For this, NMSHE has introduced several Jalkunds
with a capacity of 30,000 litre and 61,860 litre in different pilot sites to enable the water availability in water scarcity period for crops
and livestock by harvesting the rainwater. This technology has widely been adopted in all the hill states of north-east and lower
middle Himalayas. Along with the Jalkunds,
other water harvesting structures (HDPE-1000 μ and LDPE-300 GSM) with a capacity
of 8.75 lakhs litre and dimensions of 35 m × 10 m × 2.5 m are also being made at various pilot sites for increasing the water
availability during the lean period.
6. Water conveyance
system
Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation (IISWC), Dehradun has built a water conveyance system comprising of 650 m long
pipeline, 10.5 m
3
storage and 8 m
3
distribution tanks in Kumhali village, Himachal Pradesh. Installation of GI/HDPE/PVC pipeline
for conveying water from source to the cropped area is a suitable technology for hill farmers. This technology will play a crucial role
in water management in hilly regions where the place for water storage is too far from the place of water use by connecting the
source to sink in a controlled manner and providing timely irrigation to agricultural crops as change in rainfall pattern has adversely
affected 90% of rain-fed agricultural land in north-west Himalayan region.
7. Raised and sunken
bed technology (RSB)
This technology was adopted to increase the cropping intensity, diversification, productivity and income by proper use of available
resources. Adoptions of permanent RSB system with proper cropping sequence in paddies in lowlands of the north-eastern region of
India will definitely help in increasing the production and productivity of cereals and vegetables along with enhancing cropping
intensity, employment, and farmers’ income substantially. It is possible to diversify the cropping system with rice–pea or rice–lentil
in sunken beds and vegetables such as tomato–okra–broccoli, tomato–brinjal–broccoli, etc.,
on raised beds with effective utilization
of land. Also, rice + cowpea was observed to be the most suitable combination for raised and sunken bed technology (Das et al.
2014). This technology will increase the productivity per unit of input including land and water while at the same time, it encourages
self-employment and upliftment of resource- poor hill farmers through crop intensification, efficient land utilization, and crop
diversification. It also brought improvement in the quality of life of small and marginal farmers by increasing income from the small
piece of land.
8. Live fish
transportation device
for hills
Transportation of live fish seed especially the advanced fingerlings or stunt fish for the stocking in farmer’s ponds is a major
constraint in the mid altitudinal areas. This technology has helped in transporting fishes and fingerlings to remote villages of
Himalaya where the transfer of live fishes was difficult in the past.
9. Azolla tanks
Azolla tank of 12.5 m
3
capacity is used for azolla cultivation in in Himalayan region. Azolla is utilized as a feed for fish, fodder for
goat and as a bio-fertilizers. In this way, farmers are provided ecofriendly practices to cope up climate change with diversified
sustainable production. Because of the high nutritious value and its easily digestible property, it is also being included in the diet of
Carp in mid hills. As the nitrogen fixing capability of azolla is very good, hence, it is being introduced as a part of intercropping
(WRC paddy + Azolla + Zero tillage (Toria/peas) + Mushroom) in Arunachal Pradesh.
(continued)
Potential Technologies for Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Indian Himalayan Region