Mitigating the increasing uncultivated land and Himalayan degradation throughwalnut and other nut plantations
By Dr. Navin Nainwal, Vice President, WANGAI & Visiting Research Scholar, Griffith University Australia
The fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan states is under increasing threat due to factors such as deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change. This degradation not only affects the region’s biodiversity but also undermines the livelihoods of local communities that depend on agriculture and forest resources.
The walnut and other nut tree plantations have huge potential, as a strategic solution to combat the increasing uncultivated land and ecological degradation in Uttarakhand. The nut plantations offer a sustainable and long-term solution to these issues. These trees are well-suited to the Himalayan environment, and their deep root systems help prevent soil erosion while improving soil fertility. Additionally, nut trees provide income to the farmers and enhance the local economy as high-value crops. The nut cultivation also plays a role in creating employment opportunities, particularly for women, thereby contributing to rural development and poverty alleviation.
The “Walnut Village Program” of WANGAI is an ambitious project to motivate the growers for walnut production in a cluster approach. The distribution of high quality grafted walnut plants along with training on production technology is increasing the farmer income and checking migration. This is also reducing the unutilized land into a green cover over the Himalayan states.
WANGAI’s mission to establish 1 million walnut plantations in India is a visionary effort aimed at transforming the country’s walnut industry. This initiative focuses on providing farmers with access to high-quality grafted walnut saplings, training on the latest nut production techniques, and enhancing the overall area and productivity in walnut farming. By targeting such a large-scale plantation, WANGAI seeks to significantly improve the livelihoods of rural farmers, generate income to the growers, and contribute to the sustainable development. This ambitious program also aligns with WANGAI’s broader goals of fostering international collaboration, introducing advanced agricultural practices, and reducing India’s dependence on walnut imports, ultimately shaping a more self-reliant and prosperous nut farming community.
WANGAI is collaborating with the Swedish company Earthbanc to offer a dual benefit system to growers from carbon credit production along with their nut farming. This partnership aims to create a sustainable model where farmers not only earn income from the cultivation of high-value nut crops but also gain additional financial rewards by participating in carbon credit programs. By planting and maintaining walnut and other nut trees, growers are contributing to carbon sequestration, which Earthbanc tracks and monetizes through carbon credits as per the Indian and world-wide policy. This initiative not only promotes environmental conservation but also provides an extra revenue stream for farmers, incentivizing them to adopt eco-friendly agricultural practices while improving their livelihoods. Through this collaboration, WANGAI is positioning itself as a leader in integrating climate-smart agriculture with economic development for rural communities.
Expanding such initiatives across the state could have significant ecological and economic benefits. Providing technical support, access to grafted walnut saplings, and linking farmers to markets and mobile technology platforms will help ensure the success of these efforts.
Recent data reveals that approximately 2.16 lakh hectares of land in Uttarakhand are currently uncultivated and is considered as fellow land. Presently cultivation is being organized in 5.5 lakh hectare area, from which 2.82 lakh hectare is in hills and 2.86 lakh hectare is in the plain area with 8.81 lakh families are associated in agriculture. The main reason for this fellow land is continuous migration from villages, crop damage due to wildlife, inclination in weather conditions, small and scattered land holdings, absence of law for consolidation of lands, roads and other construction works etc.
Focusing on such plantation models definitely contribute to afforestation efforts and help in preserving the region’s biodiversity. Moreover, growing these crops could mitigate soil erosion, which is a frequent issue in the region, while also generating additional income for local farmers. Additionally, nut crops are contributing to forestation efforts, ensuring that the biodiversity of the region is maintained and help combating climate change. Moreover, the adoption of sustainable nut farming models would create job opportunities and ensure food security for the local population.
The Government of Uttarakhand must consider implementing a broader nut tree plantation initiative across the Himalayan states. Such projects, supported by proper research, extension services, and farmer training, could be a key strategy in utilizing uncultivable land, mitigating land degradation and simultaneously uplifting local communities.
