Project Objective
The primary objective of the Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HPSHIVA) is to enhance farmers’ income and rural livelihoods by promoting high-value horticulture in a sustainable and climate-resilient manner.
Key Objectives
- Expanding the area under high-value crops suitable for subtropical regions.
- Strengthening irrigation infrastructure to ensure year-round water availability.
- Developing post-harvest management and value addition facilities to reduce losses and improve profitability.
- Building market linkages and supporting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
- Providing training and capacity-building for farmers to adopt scientific farming techniques.
- Encouraging climate-smart agriculture practices for long-term sustainability.
Cluster-Based Approach
The Cluster-Based Approach is a core strategy of HPSHIVA aimed at maximizing productivity and improving farmer incomes by developing horticulture in a focused and integrated manner.
Key Objectives
- Formation of Clusters – Farmers are grouped based on geographical location and agro-climatic conditions to form horticulture clusters.
- Integrated Development – Each cluster receives end-to-end support including planting material, irrigation facilities, training, and market linkages.
- Specialization by Crop – Clusters are designed around specific crops (fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices) to achieve economies of scale.
- Infrastructure Support – Development of common infrastructure such as pack houses, grading units, cold storage, and processing facilities within clusters.
- Collective Marketing – Encouragement of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to collectively market produce and negotiate better prices.
- Capacity Building – Regular training and exposure visits for farmers to adopt modern and scientific horticulture practices.
- Market-Driven Production – Focus on producing market-demanded varieties to ensure profitability and reduce wastage.
Improved Planting Material
Providing quality planting material is a major component of HPSHIVA to ensure higher productivity, better quality produce, and long-term sustainability of horticulture.
Key Objectives
- High-Yielding Varieties – Introduction and distribution of high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient varieties of fruits, vegetables, and spices.
- Nursery Development – Establishment and strengthening of state-of-the-art nurseries and tissue culture labs for producing certified planting material.
- Mother Plant Blocks – Development of mother orchards and rootstock blocks to ensure continuous availability of elite planting material.
- Quality Standards – Supply of certified and virus-free planting material to reduce crop failure and improve productivity.
- Demonstration Plots – Setting up model demonstration plots to showcase performance of improved varieties.
- Farmer Access – Subsidized or partially-supported distribution of planting material to make it affordable for small and marginal farmers.
- Crop Diversification – Encouraging farmers to adopt new crops and varieties suited to local agro-climatic conditions for better income.
Farmer Training & Capacity Building
Farmer Training & Capacity Building is a key component of HPSHIVA, designed to empower farmers with knowledge, skills, and confidence to adopt modern and profitable horticulture practices.
Key Objectives
- Skill Development Programs – Regular training sessions on scientific farming, crop management, irrigation techniques, and integrated pest management.
- Exposure Visits – Farmers are taken on study tours to progressive farms, research institutions, and processing units to learn best practices.
- Workshops & Demonstrations – On-field demonstrations of new technologies, planting techniques, and farm mechanization tools.
- Post-Harvest Training – Guidance on grading, sorting, packaging, and cold storage to minimize post-harvest losses.
- Entrepreneurship Development – Training farmers in agribusiness, value addition, and marketing to encourage entrepreneurship.
- Capacity Building for FPOs – Strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations with training on financial management, record keeping, and collective marketing.
- Use of ICT Tools – Promotion of mobile apps, helplines, and online portals for timely access to weather updates, market prices, and advisory services.
- Women & Youth Participation – Special focus on involving women farmers and rural youth in horticulture for inclusive growth.
Market & Export Support
Market & Export Support under HPSHIVA focuses on ensuring that farmers get better prices for their produce by connecting them with domestic and international markets.
Key Objectives
- Market Linkages – Formation and strengthening of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and linking them with local, regional, and national markets.
- Collective Marketing – Encouraging farmers to sell produce collectively to get better bargaining power and reduce dependency on middlemen.
- Market Infrastructure – Development of pack houses, grading units, cold storage facilities, and transportation support for smooth supply chain management.
- Branding & Packaging – Assistance in branding, labelling, and attractive packaging to enhance market appeal.
- Market Intelligence – Providing farmers with real-time market price information and demand trends through ICT tools and advisories.
- Export Promotion – Support for meeting international quality and phytosanitary standards, GI tagging, and certification for export readiness.
- Trade Fairs & Buyer-Seller Meets – Organizing exhibitions, exposure visits, and B2B meets to connect farmers with potential buyers and exporters.
- E-Market Platforms – Promotion of digital marketplaces and e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) for transparent pricing and wider reach.
Sustainability & Climate Resilience
This component of HPSHIVA ensures that horticulture development is environmentally sustainable and helps farmers adapt to climate change challenges for long-term productivity.
Key Objectives
- Water-Efficient Irrigation – Promotion of drip, sprinkler, and micro-irrigation systems to reduce water wastage and improve efficiency.
- Soil Health Management – Encouragement of soil testing, organic manure use, and balanced fertilization to maintain soil fertility.
- Climate-Resilient Varieties – Introduction of drought-tolerant, heat-resistant, and pest-resistant crop varieties suited for subtropical regions.
- Integrated Pest & Nutrient Management – Adoption of eco-friendly pest control methods and efficient nutrient use to minimize chemical dependency.
- Agroforestry & Crop Diversification – Promotion of mixed cropping, tree plantation, and diversified farming systems to spread risk and enhance resilience.
- Rainwater Harvesting & Water Conservation – Construction of check dams, farm ponds, and rainwater harvesting structures for water security.
- Renewable Energy Use – Encouraging solar-powered irrigation pumps and energy-efficient machinery.
- Climate Advisory Services – Providing farmers with weather forecasts, early warning systems, and advisories for timely action.
- Carbon Footprint Reduction – Promotion of sustainable farming practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve ecosystem health.