Empowering rural women for sustainable livelihoods through natural resource management in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

Efforts have been initiated to strengthen rural women of Garhwal by providing training and awareness programmes for income generation activities using natural resource management viz. medicinal plants cultivation, organic farming and alternative high value cash crops. Women of this region are aware about biological diversity and rich in indigenous knowledge of natural resources and their management on which they depend for livelihoods. A pilot study is being undertaken in five villages in two districts of the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand with financial assistance from a science and society programme for empowering rural women for sustainable development.