Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Jan: A state-level stakeholder consultation under the Himalayan Agroecology Initiative (HAI) was organised in Dehradun on Thursday to deliberate on an agroecology roadmap for Uttarakhand. The event was held at a hotel on GMS Road and brought together policymakers, scientists, farmer representatives, and civil society organisations. The consultation focused on promoting sustainable agriculture in Himalayan regions, conserving biodiversity, adapting farming systems to climate change, and strengthening farmers’ livelihoods. Discussions revolved around policy recommendations and institutional mechanisms required to mainstream agroecology in the state.
Addressing the gathering, Uttarakhand Farmer Commission Vice-Chairman Ajit Singh Chaudhary said agroecology must be directly linked to farmers’ income enhancement, reduction in cultivation costs, and conservation of natural resources. “Sustainable use along with conservation is essential to ensure long-term availability of resources,” he said.
Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board Chairman SP Subudhi (IFS) emphasised that biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge systems, and the role of local communities should be clearly integrated into the agroecology roadmap.
In the technical session, Dr JC Rana, India Country Representative, Alliance of Bioversity International–CIAT, presented the proposed agroecology roadmap and policy recommendations for Uttarakhand. He highlighted the need for conserving agricultural biodiversity, promoting nutrition-sensitive farming, building climate-resilient agricultural systems, and strengthening institutional coordination. He noted that effective implementation of the roadmap would require joint efforts by the state government, research institutions, farmer organisations, and civil society.
Dr Manoj Kumar Pant, Planning Department, Government of Uttarakhand, said that the major recommendations received from the program will be included in the upcoming state action plan being prepared for Viksit Bharat-2047.
The programme began with a welcome address by Dr Vinod Kumar Bhatt, HAI Consultant for Uttarakhand, who underlined the importance of traditional farming systems, local seed conservation, and biodiversity-based agriculture in the Himalayan region. He said agroecology could serve as an effective tool for environmental protection as well as strengthening the rural economy of the state.
Following the presentation, participants took part in group discussions and shared practical suggestions based on field experience, with emphasis on policy design, institutional collaboration, and farmer participation.
The consultation saw participation from experts and representatives of various institutions, including the Beej Bachao Andolan, UCOST, ICFRE, GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, universities, research organisations, social organisations, and farmer groups.
At the end of the program, the guests were presented with the Badri Kedar tea of Uttarakhand, black kidney beans, being promoted by IRD Foundation, and salt made by MVDA’s Umang Mahila Udyog.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Sonal D’Souza, Associate Manager (Asia), Alliance of Bioversity International–CIAT, who said the inputs from the consultation would play a key role in strengthening agroecology-based policies and programmes in Uttarakhand.
