Uttarakhand Agriculture Is Undergoing A Significant Transformation Due To Climate Change

Once dominated by the cultivation of wheat, paddy, and potatoes, hill agriculture is undergoing a significant transformation, with climate-resilient crops like chickpea, pigeon pea, turmeric, and chili witnessing a boom in both cultivation area and yield. Faced with erratic weather, shrinking farmland, and declining yields, farmers in Uttarakhand’s hills are shifting from water-intensive staples like wheat, paddy, and potato to climate-resilient pulses and spices. Pulses and spices are emerging as the backbone of hill agriculture in Uttarakhand, as farmers adapt to the mounting challenges posed by climate change.

A new analysis titled “Water and Heat Stress in the Hills: How Climate Change is Shaping Uttarakhand’s Agriculture Landscape by Climate Trends” reveals following highlights-

• 27.2 per cent decline in total cultivated land and a 15.2 per cent drop in overall yield over the past decade

• Potato production crashed by 70% in five years, with the biggest drop in Almora and Rudraprayag

• Wheat, paddy, and millets declining; pulses and maize emerging as climate-resilient crops

• Pulses like chickpea and pigeon pea see increased cultivation area and yield

• Spice cultivation booms—turmeric cultivation doubles; chilli up by 35%

• 94 extreme weather days in 2023 damaged 44,882 hectares of farmland

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%, with paddy and other millets showing similar declines. Dr Anil Kumar, Scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Udham Singh Nagar, says, “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.

Potato Crash: A Stark Indicator

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% 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%. Although, Uttarakhand’s percentage share in India’s potato cultivation is only 0.19%. But within the state, potato has been the most cultivated vegetable and is mostly consumed within the state. Dr Anil Kumar says, “Climate change is also a significant factor. Potatoes in the hills are entirely rain-fed, and rainfall has become increasingly erratic. Typically, potatoes are planted in early March and harvested by May–June in the hills, while in the plains, they are planted in October–November and harvested by January. Earlier, there used to be 2-3 spells of snow falls between October to December. Now the lack of timely rain, reduced snowfall between October and January, rising temperatures, and occurrences of hail have all negatively impacted potato cultivation.” Jogendra Bisht, President of Lok Chetna Manch, explains, “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”.

Climate Instability Shifts Farmers’ Crop Choices

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 lost 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 Gaining Ground, Oilseeds Catching Up

Spices like turmeric and chili are quickly becoming staple cash crops in Uttarakhand. Statewide, spice cultivation has grown by 50%, and yields have increased by 10.5% from 2016 to 2022. Turmeric cultivation rose by 112%, with a 122% increase in yield over the past decade. Chili yields grew by 21% 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.

Hill Farmers Adapting to a New Reality

The agricultural landscape of Uttarakhand is witnessing a transformation. While we are seeing a decline in cereal crops, it’s encouraging to observe the rise of pulses and spices, which are more suited to the changing climate. “Water stress is a huge concern in the hills of Uttarakhand. Erratic rainfall patterns are significantly impacting the cultivation of paddy and wheat. Soil quality has degraded and its productivity has gone down over the years. Lack of adequate winter rainfall is particularly affecting rabi crops. There is not enough water available to cultivate paddy or wheat.

Hence farmers are seeking alternatives. Pulses, particularly black soyabeans, horse gram which can be grown in dry lands and non rainfed regions are adapting better to the changing climatic conditions than paddy and wheat which are more water intensive,” says Jogendra Bisht.

Farmers are proactively adapting to climate change. Recent discussions with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) highlight their efforts, including the introduction of drought-tolerant varieties of pigeon pea to combat prolonged dry spells. Government initiatives like the six-year “Mission for Atma Nirbharta in Pulses,” outlined in the 2025 central budget, to enhance procurement of crops from local farmers, is providing further incentives for pulse cultivation.

The traditional baranaja multi cropping system which used to involve 12 different crops has mostly disappeared due to fragmented landholdings. But farmers continue to adopt multi cropping strategies with millets and pulses, which offer better economic returns and resilience. This shift reflects their effort to cope with rising heat and water scarcity. The report underscores the need to continue supporting climate-resilient farming practices to sustain livelihoods and food security in Uttarakhand’s hills.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy