Uttarakhand sees decline in yield because of climate change

Mumbai: The changing agriculture landscape in Uttarakhand’s hilly regions over the past decade, reporting a 27.2 per cent drop in total cultivated land and a 15.2 per cent fall in overall yield, according to an analysis by Climate Trends, a research-based consulting and capacity building initiative that aims to bring greater focus on issues of climate change and sustainable development.

Hill agriculture in Uttarakhand is adapting to climate change. Farmland area has shrunk by over a quarter in just 10 years. Major crops like wheat, paddy, and potatoes have suffered significant losses, both in cultivated area and yield. Wheat cultivation fell by 4.63 per cent, with paddy and other millets showing similar declines.

In the Climate Trends analysis, Dr Anil Kumar, Scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Udham Singh Nagar, said: “Currently, there is a slow shift from traditional crops like paddy and wheat to horticultural crops.”

GI-tagged food grains like ramdana (amaranth), pigeon pea (pahadi toor), horse gram (gahat) and black soybean (kala bhatt) are seeing increases in both cultivation area and yield.

Potatoes, known as the ‘king of vegetables’ and suited for cooler climates, have seen a steep decline. Over the past five years, potato yield dropped by 70.82 per cent from 367,309 metric tonnes in 2020–21 to 107,150 metric tonnes in 2023–24.

The cultivated area also fell sharply from 26,867 hectares in 2020– 21 to 17,083 hectares in 2022–23, a yearly decline of 36.4 per cent. Although, Uttarakhand's percentage share in India's potato cultivation is only 0.19 per cent.

In the report, Jogendra Bisht, President of Lok Chetna Manch, explained: “Potato cultivation is suffering due to lack of soil moisture. The land is dry, water retention is poor, and high temperatures raise evapotranspiration rates. On top of that, farmers struggle with wild boars attacking fields at night, digging up and destroying plants”.

Average temperatures in Uttarakhand have risen by 0.02°C annually over the past decade according to an earlier research by Climate Trends.

Higher altitudes are experiencing sharper and more unpredictable climate shifts compared to the plains, shows the research. As per India’s Atlas on Weather Disasters in 2023 the state witnessed 94 days of extreme weather conditions leading to 44,882 hectares loss in farm lands. Experts believe climate change is a key factor contributing to agricultural decline. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and more extreme weather events have disrupted traditional crop patterns.

As climate pressures intensify across Uttarakhand’s fragile hill ecosystems, the region’s traditional crops—particularly native pulses such as pahari toor daal (pigeon pea), gahat (horse gram), chana (chickpea), urad (black gram), bhatt (black soybean), and rajma (kidney beans)—are emerging as vital symbols of agricultural resilience. Their adaptability to water stress, low input needs, and nutritional value position them as critical components of a climate-resilient farming future for the state.

Spices like turmeric and chilli are quickly becoming staple cash crops in Uttarakhand. Statewide, spice cultivation has grown by 50 per cent, and yields have increased by 10.5 per cent from 2016 to 2022. Turmeric

cultivation rose by 112 per cent, with a 122 per cent increase in yield over the past decade. Chilli yields grew by 21 per cent in the same period. Both crops thrive in warm, humid conditions and can adapt to diverse soils and temperature ranges.

Oilseeds, though still grown on smaller plots, are also gaining ground. Varieties like mustard-rapeseed (lahi-sarson-toriya) and soybean are showing a rising trend in cultivated areas, especially in recent years. However, yields remain relatively low.