Uttarakhand, an ecologically fragile and disaster-prone state, has been experiencing climate change impacts such as changing seasons, less snowfall, flash floods, and unpredictable rainfall over the last few years. Large scale anthropogenic pressures have been rising as a result of development activities such as construction of roads, bridges, mining, hydro power units, which have increased the vulnerability of the region to disasters and have endangered ecological sustainability. Nearly 70% of the population in mountain districts are dependent on agriculture for its subsistence and face issues due to small and fragmented land holdings. They also rely on traditional crop varieties, lack market and technological linkages, and are prone to crop depredation by wild animals. Due to limited livelihood options, youth migrate out of the state in search of work. Additionally, since most of the secondary and tertiary sectors’ economic activities are in plains, there is a strong regional imbalance leading to inequitable development in the state. These issues highlight the acute need to adopt a holistic development model that not only ensures economic viability, but also safeguards environmental sustainability in order to reduce the risk of climate change. To tackle these challenges, SBI Foundation has designed a project in collaboration with Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation (HESCO) that aims to promote equitable economic and ecological development in 10 disaster-prone villages in the Joshimath Block of Chamoli District. The project aims to achieve this crucial balance by promoting diversified livelihoods, including horticulture, ecotourism, bio farming, agriculture, and environmental protection measures, such as construction of check dams, protection walls, and water holes, to mitigate the risk of climate change. The ‘Climate Resilient Livelihoods for Disaster Prone Region of Uttarakhand’ project is receiving funding support from SBI General Insurance Company Limited and will be implemented over a period of 3 years, until May 2025.
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