Climate change impact on hill agriculture and farmers adaptive strategies: a case study of Kullu valley in Himachal Pradesh

This study conducted during January- March, 2007, in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh in India, takes the apple as an indicator crop to investigate the positive and negative effects of climate change on farm economy. It explores the impacts it had on the agricultural economy of the hill farmers who were forced to abandon apple farming, and those to whom apple farming came to be a new option.

This research attempts to piece together and aims to enhance understanding of climate change impacts as observed by farming communities at very local levels.

The findings showed that the apple belt was shifting upwards due to climbing regional temperatures, making the lower parts of the valley unsuitable and the upper valley hospitable for the apple crop.