Improvement of rural people livelihood
in cold desert areas of the Western Himalayas
Web site realized by GERES
LIGHT : greenhouse
Context
Due to the harsh winter conditions, vegetables can be grown in open fields only from May to September. In summer, the local production is completed by fruits and vegetables imported by truck from the Indian plains. But when snowfalls block the roads, from mid October to mid May, Leh market is sometimes supplied by airplane (prices rise up to three times) and in more remote areas, fresh vegetables are scarcely available.
The improved greenhouse
Thanks to the sunny climate of these high altitude areas, it is possible to grow vegetable under solar greenhouses even during peak winter.
LEHO and GERES developed some new and essential techniques to create a design adapted to the area, keeping in mind cost-efficiency and local material availability.
The improved greenhouse resulting is made of stones, bricks and wood, has double wall filled with straw on three sides, roof, ventilators, and is covered on the South side by a transparent and UV resistant polysheet.
Except this sheet, all materials used for the construction are available locally.
improved grennhouse in Leh area in January
Objectives and target group
The objective of the project is to
- Enable 500 families to construct and run an improved greenhouse
- Train 30 local masons to the construction technique
- Produce fresh vegetable (300 Kg/year/IGH)
- Increase income of the owners family (15 to 30% increase)
This project targets the families who potentially get more benefits from IGH : families depending mainly on agricultural income, i.e. active farmers that do not have any important alternative source of income as a government job.
The cost of an improved greenhouse reaches Rs. 30 000, in which approximately 10 000 Rs are in cash and the rest is labour or material available from the farm. The pay back period of this investment is around 3 years.
The project provides Rs. 6000, in material (polysheet, door and ventilators)
improved grennhouse during summer in Kargil area
Results and impact
The income generated by an experienced farmer through the selling of vegetables cultivated in the IGH is between Rs. 10 000 and Rs. 20 000. That increases in average by 15% the income of the target population families.
The running of the IGH as well as the marketing of the vegetables is mostly managed by women. This activity allows them to earn some income, to develop their social relation, and to gain self-confidence.
The consumption of fresh vegetables is multiplied in average by 7 (especially in remote areas). In very cold areas as Padum, Chang tang, Lahaul and Spiti, it is the first time that people grow vegetable in winter.
Most of the families own less than 1 hectare of arable land. The cultivation of vegetables under IGH represents also an intensification (more income for the same surface) that is an interesting answer to over pressure on land.
improved greenhouse in Rumback (4100 m high) in October
Downloads
Video