Over the past decade, India has witnessed robust economic growth; however, poverty continues to persist as a critical development challenge, particularly in the Himalayan region, where biophysical constraints and socio-economic vulnerabilities make livelihood security precarious. The tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh represent one of the most unique socio-ecological landscapes of the Indian Himalayas, with strikingly different geographical features, climatic conditions, natural resources, and agricultural practices. The region is divided into two valleys Lahaul and Spiti, which contrast each other in ecological and cultural terms: while Lahaul is relatively lush, humid, and agriculturally more productive, Spiti is barren, cold, and arid, often described as a high-altitude desert. In both valleys, people’s livelihoods are intimately tied to the availability and sustainable management of natural resources, and any disruption in resource access or productivity directly affects household economies. Against this backdrop, seabuckthorn (Hippophae spp.), belonging to the family Elaeagnaceae, emerges as a unique and underutilized resource with immense ecological, medicinal, and socio-economic potential. A deciduous, shrubby species growing naturally between 2500–4200 m in the cold regions of the northwestern Himalayas, seabuckthorn has long been recognized as a “wonder plant,” often referred to as the “superfood plant” or the “golden bush of the Himalaya” owing to its extraordinary nutritional and medicinal properties, being exceptionally rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds.

Despite these attributes and its potential to support both ecological restoration and rural livelihoods, seabuckthorn remained underutilized and overlooked for decades, with limited efforts at the ground level to develop it into a structured livelihood resource or to integrate it into market-driven value chains. Recognizing this gap, a project was initiated in Lahaul-Spiti to develop a complete seabuckthorn value chain, encompassing sustainable harvesting, scientific processing, product development, market linkage, and enterprise creation, with a particular emphasis on engaging tribal women as primary stakeholders to ensure both gender empowerment and community resilience.

The project began by mobilizing and engaging 150 tribal women across Lahaul and Spiti, training and organizing them into seabuckthorn-based entrepreneurial groups to anchor the activities at the community level. To provide technical and infrastructural support, a highly equipped Technology Centre was established in Jahalma village, which became the hub for skill development, demonstrations, and training programmes on sustainable harvesting, processing, and value addition. Recognizing that processing seabuckthorn is highly labor-intensive and that traditional drying methods often compromise quality, five solar dryers were distributed to women’s groups across different locations, ensuring decentralized and efficient processing capacity while also promoting the use of renewable energy. Concurrently, efforts were made to diversify the product portfolio, with the development and testing of various seabuckthorn-based products such as pulp, dried berries, herbal tea, jam, and juice, which not only enhanced market appeal but also offered multiple revenue streams for the women’s groups. In parallel, significant efforts were directed towards building market linkages by connecting products to local, regional, and national platforms through participation in exhibitions and fairs, including Kullu Dussehra, Mandi Shivratri, and Adi Mahotsav, which provided visibility, consumer feedback, and sales opportunities.

To ensure long-term sustainability, plantation drives were undertaken in different valleys to expand seabuckthorn cultivation and secure a steady supply of raw material for future enterprise growth. At the institutional level, steps were initiated for Geographical Indication (GI) certification of Lahaul seabuckthorn in collaboration with HIMCOSTE, thereby positioning the produce for enhanced recognition and protection in national and international markets. Simultaneously, a women-led society named “Palden Lamo” was formally registered to institutionalize the enterprise, oversee branding and certification, and act as a collective platform for women’s voices in seabuckthorn enterprise development. The tangible outcomes of the project were significant: within the implementation period, the women’s groups collectively processed approximately 1,000 litres of seabuckthorn pulp, 400 kilograms of dried leaves, and 500 kilograms of dried pomace, generating an income of around ₹6 lakh. This direct income, however, was only one dimension of the impact-the broader achievement lay in creating a sustainable, scalable, and replicable seabuckthorn value chain that ensured women’s socio-economic upliftment, ecological conservation, and cultural revitalization. The intervention not only enhanced women’s participation in income-generating activities but also equipped them with technical skills, entrepreneurial confidence, and institutional support, transforming seabuckthorn from an underutilized shrub into a cornerstone of resilience and prosperity in the cold desert region of Lahaul and Spiti.