1) Off season vegetable production-
The environment of hills favour natural off season production of vegetables. For example in case of potato crop it is found that by the time potato crop is not available from different regions from country they are available in hills due to low temperature prevailing in these areas and thus farmers can sell entire quantity of their produce at better price instead of storing them.
Same is the case with Apple production, the quality and flavour of apples we get during off season is remarkable.
2) Decentralization of collection system
An initiative by government to decentralize collection systems like formation of submandis in hill areas will promote farmers for agriculture . In present scenario farmers have to carry their produce from distant places to mandis near cities and the high cost of transportation in hills thus decrease their percent of profit share. Sometimes due to absence of proper and economic transport facilities farmers have to sell their produce at much lower price or throw it due to damages.
3) Promoting Organic status of hills by providing proper platform
The hill areas of Uttarakhand are famous for organic farming. As we are aware of the present scenario of organic products market i.e. the consumer is ready to pay price for quality products. A goodwill of state in this area can be utilized by promoting our farmers the production of organic goods and this can be achieved by providing them full fledged support with good advertising and linking of agriculture institutes projects directly in villages. This will provide farmers good market and good earning.
4) Formation of Cooperative societies
Hills have fragmented land holdings and because of this the farmers are not able to grow crops at desired scale to start farming with high economic activity. If pooling of resources could be there the farmers can initiate farming activity at economic scale.
5) Promoting Millets production
Farmers of Uttarakhand still follow indigenous methods of farming. Various low input crops like millet production are highly practiced here. Millet crops like Madua , Jhangora are main crops of hills areas. Millets are three to five times nutritionally superior to rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals and vitamins. These are suitable for diabetic people and are excellent planned diet for those seeking nutritious diet. They require less management practices in comparison to main crops like wheat and rice. In addition market of millets is increasing at faster rate in our country.
6) LDPE lined water storage tanks
Avability of sufficient water for irrigation purpose is one of the major problems for hill agriculture. Water harvesting in hills can be done with the help of low density polythene. The harvested water could fulfil requirement of water during lean period. These water tanks could be directly linked with micro irrigation equipments to provide water directly to fields.
7) Honey Bee Culture
Apart from farming practices apiculture is widely practiced by many growers of Uttarakhand. But due to unavailability of proper market channel growers are unable to utilize this field on a scale that could increase the income of hill farmers.
8) Management of pests
The major pests damaging hill crops on a very large scale is monkeys . Problems of monkeys is very high in hills due to which many interested growers are leaving farming occupation as they cause heavy losses in fields. Equipments like solar wire fencing and other fencings could help farmers to maintain their interest in agriculture. Eventually it will lead to increasing income of hill farmers and will stop their migration.
Thus, on the basis of strategies discussed above, the government as well as agriculture institutes can work in unison for upliftment of the income of hill farmers, by lab to land approach formulated by scientists.
Rashmi Joshi