Protected Vegetable Cultivation for Climate Resilience and Nutritional Security in Eastern Ladakh, India

Eastern Ladakh, India, experiences a harsh climate with temperatures dropping below zero, thus restricting agricultural activities for a short period. Therefore, the inhabitants depend completely on dairy products, packed and processed foods. Traditional farming practiced in the study region is purely indigenous and, by default, organic in nature. Therefore, the region has the potential to produce organic products under protected structures, which will be a source of income generation. The present study was conducted through frontline demonstrations at three locations, viz. Nyoma, Mudh and Tsaga in Ladakh for two consecutive years from 2019 under protected structures, viz. local greenhouse and low tunnel. A comparison of productivity levels between demonstrated variety and local checks was also made. A significant outcome was that the farmers have learned to produce quality vegetables not just to increase their income but also for nutritional security. There is a positive attitude among the locals on the importance of protected cultivation as a self-sustainable technology, nutritionally secure, and uplifting socio-economic conditions with climate-resilient features that will be a boon for this region despite extreme climatic conditions.