Soil and water conservation measures for sustainable agro ecosystem development of Uttrakhand

Abstract

Uttarakhand is a mountainous State in Northern India known for its diverse eco-system, rich faunal & floral biodiversity, rivers & valleys and a rich cultural heritage. The total population of the state is 1.01crores (census 2011) out of which most of the people are poor accounting for 11percent of the population is below the poverty line as compared to 30.23 percent of those living on the plains. Human population is growing at a rate of 60.1 percent increases in the last decade, combined with an increasing livestock population has resulted in the increased demand for food, fuel-wood for humans, and fodder for livestock. As human population and livestock densities increase, the rate of degradation and the dependence on common property resources has also increased which required the collective management approaches. Many parts of the state are experiencing drought-like conditions with acute shortages of drinking water with the depletion nearly 30 percentwater source has lead to non-functionality of drinking water schemes.