Himachal Pradesh

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The challenges

The local community mainly depends on agriculture for their subsistence, and the mountainous terrain presents many challenges for farmers and communities alike.  Indeed, this is one of the toughest areas for ACF staff to work in due to long travel times to reach villages and the difficult terrain.

Whilst major parts of Darlaghat are hilly and mountainous with highly dissected and undulating terrain, Nalagarh falls under a sub mountainous region. Due to hard rock areas and hilly terrains, groundwater sources such as perennial springs, baories, tube wells and hand pumps, are low. In many parts of Darlaghat the availability of water during summer is limited.

Major Initiative – Water 

To combat the issue of water in these areas ACF is working to protect and develop traditional water harvesting structures like baories, ponds and perennial springs. We also place large emphasis on harvesting rainwater, by constructing recharging wells and check dams and promoting judicious use of water for agricultural development.

10707 hectares have been treated through implementing watershed projects in the region in collaboration with govt. agencies like NABARD along with full participation of the community. Activities like bunding, contour trenches, construction of ponds, water storage tanks for irrigation purposes, construction of check dams and gabion structures to check the soil erosion implemented through the watershed committees in the watershed project area.

Macro impact