Progressive Horticulture

In Himachal Pradesh, cold deserts, comprising about 42% of total geographical area of the state, occur in districts of Lahaul-Spiti, upper parts of Chamba and Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh state. the region is characterized by extreme climatic conditions, high rates of soil erosion and land slides, shortage of fuel wood, timber and fodder, low productivity of agricultural lands and sparse vegetation and lack of job opportunities. Plantation forests of willow are also dying in several places due to large scale pest attack. Lack of job opportunities in this strategic remote border region have led to youths to migrate to other parts of the state and country. the overall size of holding of the farmers was 1.3 ha in Lahaul, the region present studies were carried out on seabuckthorn. Most of the farmers in the region are marginal. 86 per cent of the gross income was provided by two crops potato and pea. there is a stagnation in the market of potato and pea is badly affected by powdery mildew, besides increasing cost of input of both crops. Before the start of the project, some farmers used to collect seabuckthorn fruit occasionally from seabuckthorn forest and sell to traders at low price (Rs.20/kg) with out any market assurance. In order to develop appropriate technologies and a model for seabuckthorn resource development and their commercial utilization, 11 research projects on seabuckthorn besides departmental studies since 1993, were completed in CSK HPKV, Palampur. However, the major project was ICAR funded NAIP sub-project entitled ‘A value chain on seabuckthorn”, sanctioned in June 2008 for about Rs. 4.11 crores for a duration of 2008–2014, with an aim to develop a model on value chain on seabuckthorn with linkages with R&D organizations, growers, NGos and market assurance, based on production to consumption system. the main R&D centre (CSK HPKV, Palampur) created awareness about the project and economic potential of seabuckthorn, providing training and extension service to about 500 farmers in modern cultivation technologies and mass propagate (245,000 saplings) of improved planting material of seabuckthorn, improve productivity (from 2 tons fruit/ha to 5 tons/ha) and production through providing high yielding seabuckthorn selections (2–3 land lines), improvement of agrotechniques, development of fruit harvesters (5) and cultivation of seabuckthorn by 400 farmers in 120 ha marginal lands in Lahaul. HPKV scientists standardized various value added food 16), animal and poultry feed (7), oil and leaf preparations (5) for the treatment of gastric ulcer, wound healing and skin disease, whereas AIIMS standardized the seabuckthorn fruit pulp oil for cardioprotection. University carried survey for the acceptability of value added seabuckthorn products in the market and analyzed the economic viability of the seabuckthorn programme. the studies are being carried out on 14 Russian seabuckthorn to domesticate the 2–3 most suitable for the local conditions. Studies also found that seabuckthorn plays an important role in conservation of biodiversity and soil improvement. A number of industries have come up in the state, producing a range of seabuckthorn products.