Sustainable Mountain Ecosystem Development Project
(P01207)- uttarakhand
- Jul 2025 - Dec 2028
- 30+ villages
Strengthen climate resilience and promote sustainable rural livelihoods through integrated development in 30 villages of Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand.
Project Overview
Bageshwar, located in the fragile central Himalayan belt of Uttarakhand, faces multiple development challenges including limited livelihood options, seasonal migration, climate-sensitive agriculture, poor market access, and declining traditional skills. Baseline assessments and Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) exercises conducted by SUVIDHA across 30 villages reveal low crop productivity (30–50% below state average), shrinking traditional crafts, degraded ecosystems, and water scarcity across more than 70% of surveyed households.
With climate risks intensifying in high-altitude regions (as flagged in India’s State of Forest Report and IPCC AR6), there is a critical need for integrated rural development rooted in nature-based solutions. The project is designed to respond to this urgency by introducing eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, water-efficient systems, and community enterprise development—thus ensuring long-term economic and ecological resilience for marginalized communities.
The project will be executed in 30 villages across Kapkot and Bageshwar blocks of Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand. These areas have been selected based on:
- High concentration of marginal farmers and out-migrating youth
- Existing eco-tourism potential (along Pindari Glacier and high-altitude trekking routes)
- Traditional presence of metal artisans and SHGs
- Existing presence and rapport of SUVIDHA, enabling effective mobilization
The selected villages are strategically clustered to optimize convergence, logistics, and community ownership for scalable impact.
Project Objective
The objective of the Sustainable Mountain Ecosystem Development Project is to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable rural livelihoods in 30 villages of Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand.
The project focuses on:
Promoting climate-smart agriculture and natural resource management
Developing eco-tourism and rural enterprises
Enhancing livelihood opportunities for farmers, youth, and artisans
Improving income, biodiversity conservation, and community resilience.
Project Impact
Key Achievements
- 60% households increase income
- 40% increase in non-farm income (tourism and enterprises)
- 50% increase in crop yield and water availability
- Reduced youth migration through local employment , Stronger participation of women in SHGs and enterprises, Revival of traditional artisan skills
- Restoration of degraded ecosystems, Plantation of climate-resilient species, Improved soil and water conservation
- Community institutions managing homestays, irrigation, biodiversity, and enterprises.
Capacity Building
- Training 20 youth in green livelihood enterprises
- Skill development for 50+ artisans in traditional crafts
- Training villagers in eco-tourism and homestay management
- Strengthening SHGs, producer groups, and eco-committees
- Exposure visits and knowledge-sharing events for community groups.
Market Development
- Development of agribusiness collectives for herbs, spices, and horticulture crops
- Branding and packaging of organic hill produce
- Promotion and marketing of traditional metal crafts
- E-commerce and buyer linkages for rural products
- Convergence with government schemes and tourism departments.
