Challenges and Opportunities in Hill Farming: Analysing Landholding, Climate Change, and Economic Potential in Uttarakhand

  • Unique Paper ID: 179156
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue: 12
  • PageNo: 5703-5706
  • Abstract:
  • Hill farming in Uttarakhand is a crucial component of the region’s agrarian economy, yet it faces significant challenges such as land fragmentation, climate change, market access limitations, and youth migration. This study examines these issues using empirical data and graphical analysis to identify key trends affecting agricultural sustainability. Results indicate that small landholdings dominate farming, limiting mechanization and large-scale production. Climate change has led to declining rainfall and rising temperatures, further exacerbating agricultural vulnerabilities. Youth migration has surged, reducing the availability of skilled labor, while market access constraints hinder farmers' profitability. However, the economic potential of high-value crops, particularly medicinal plants, presents opportunities for improved rural livelihoods. This study underscores the need for policy interventions, infrastructure development, and climate-adaptive strategies to enhance the resilience and sustainability of hill farming communities.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2025 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{179156,
        author = {Uttam Kumar and Ashish Bhatt and Anuj Singh and Anish Kumar and Jeeya},
        title = {Challenges and Opportunities in Hill Farming: Analysing Landholding, Climate Change, and Economic Potential in Uttarakhand},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {12},
        pages = {5703-5706},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=179156},
        abstract = {Hill farming in Uttarakhand is a crucial component of the region’s agrarian economy, yet it faces significant challenges such as land fragmentation, climate change, market access limitations, and youth migration. This study examines these issues using empirical data and graphical analysis to identify key trends affecting agricultural sustainability. Results indicate that small landholdings dominate farming, limiting mechanization and large-scale production. Climate change has led to declining rainfall and rising temperatures, further exacerbating agricultural vulnerabilities. Youth migration has surged, reducing the availability of skilled labor, while market access constraints hinder farmers' profitability. However, the economic potential of high-value crops, particularly medicinal plants, presents opportunities for improved rural livelihoods. This study underscores the need for policy interventions, infrastructure development, and climate-adaptive strategies to enhance the resilience and sustainability of hill farming communities.},
        keywords = {Hill farming, Uttarakhand, livelihoods},
        month = {May},
        }

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