The Kumaun Himalayas, with their fragile ecosystems and rich agro-biodiversity, face pressing challenges of food insecurity, poor nutrition, low farm income, and youth migration. Traditional farming systems are under stress from climate variability and market dependence, making communities, especially tribal households, vulnerable. In this context, mainstreaming cash-generating underutilized crops such as mustard, black cumin, grain amaranth, buckwheat, and leafy vegetables offers a sustainable solution that aligns with the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These crops, naturally stress-tolerant and nutritionally dense, can directly address hidden hunger and improve women’s and children’s health by reducing micronutrient deficiencies. Promoting their cultivation and local consumption strengthens household nutrition security while lowering reliance on market-purchased foods.

The program emphasizes women’s empowerment and livelihood generation through enterprise-based models. Training and support for self-help groups (SHGs) and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) will enable value addition, product diversification, and marketing of items such as amaranth flour, buckwheat noodles, and herbal teas. This enhances rural incomes, creates local jobs, and elevates women’s roles in decision-making, advancing gender equality (SDG 5) and decent work opportunities (SDG 8).

Agro-biodiversity conservation is another critical impact, as the revival of traditional crops preserves Indigenous knowledge and strengthens community identity. Establishing seed banks and participatory seed networks will ensure long-term resilience of local food systems.
Most importantly, the initiative addresses distress migration from border villages. By creating viable, climate-resilient livelihoods within villages, it encourages youth and families to stay, reducing socio-economic disruption and revitalizing local economies.
In sum, promoting underutilized crops in Kumaun is not just an agricultural strategy—it is a pathway to nutritional well-being, women’s empowerment, biodiversity conservation, and community resilience, ensuring vibrant and self-reliant Himalayan societies.