New World Bank project to benefit over 400,000 farming households

The Government of India, Government of Himachal Pradesh, and the World Bank signed an $80 million loan agreement to improve water management practices and increase agricultural productivity in selected Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) in Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous state richly endowed with natural resources.

The Integrated Project for Source Sustainability and Climate Resilient Rain-Fed Agriculture in Himachal Pradesh will be implemented in 428 Gram Panchayats in 10 districts benefiting over 400,000 smallholder farmers, including women, and pastoral communities.

“Climate change is a global issue. But, addressing its impact requires building resilience at the local level,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India “Not surprisingly, Himachal Pradesh’s history of devolving greater responsibility to Gram Panchayats (GPs) offers the state a great advantage. Through GPs, Himachal Pradesh supports farmers and pastoral communities in securing their livelihoods in the face of climate variability and challenging agro-ecological conditions,” he added.

In Himachal Pradesh (HP), many of the lowland areas lack access to irrigation water, and farmers depend on decreasing amounts of rainfall during the critical monsoon season. Agricultural production and snowlines have already shifted to higher altitudes, impacting the production of fruits, including HP’s iconic apples. Climate change is also expected to increase average temperatures and decrease rainfall in the lowlands, while both temperatures and rainfall are expected to increase in the highlands, which could lead to more extreme flooding events.

The project will improve upstream water sources in forests, pastures, and grasslands and ensure sufficient water is available for sustainable agriculture both in Himachal Pradesh and in downstream states.

Enhancing the climate resilience of agriculture and its allied activities is a key component of the project for which efficient use of water is the focal point. The project will set up hydrological monitoring stations to monitor water quality and quantity. This investment will lay the foundation for future water budgeting that will help plan better land use and agricultural investments, including by informing the development of more evidence-based catchment area treatment (CAT) plans that facilitate greater source sustainability, carbon sequestration, and water quality.

The project’s investment in downstream areas will increase small farmers’ access to high-efficiency irrigation and help farmers shift from low-value cereal production to climate-resilient crop varieties, including higher-value fruits and vegetables. The focus on increasing climate resilience and water productivity will help farmers maximize their financial returns on water use. The project will also build the capacity of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) and gram panchayats to better manage water resources and will work in collaboration with other government programs, particularly those of the agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry departments.

Such efforts are also expected to generate carbon benefits for the state. The net greenhouse gas benefit per hectare for the project area is estimated to be 0.6 tCO2/ha/year.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 11 March 2020