Status and trends in research and development projects in the mountains: A situational analysis in the Indian Himalaya

• Published in: International journal of sustainable development and world ecology Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 479 - 488
• Main Authors: Samal, Prasanna K., Palni, Lok Man S., Dhyani, Pitamber P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2005; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Development projects; HIMALAYA; INDIA; MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS; Mountains; R&D; Research & development; RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT; TRENDS
• ISSN: 1350-4509; 1745-2627
• DOI: 10.1080/13504500509469656

The mountains hold the key to global ecological and social stability by virtue of being centres of biological and cultural diversity and the storehouse for water and other resources. However, they are becoming unable to sustain the demands of the changing life style of the growing number of inhabitants as well as the population in the plains and, therefore, the resources are depleting rapidly. Inadequacy of research and development (R&D) projects undertaken in mountain ecosystems is, perhaps, a major factor that has not enabled us to evolve and introduce suitable interventions to replenish and restore the health of the degraded mountains. In this article, taking the Indian Himalayan region as a case study, an effort has been made to understand the adequacy and appropriateness of R&D projects in mountain ecosystems by analysing the research and development projects implemented in this region from 1985-86 to1998-99. The analysis revealed inadequacy in the number and budgets of R&D projects implemented in this mountain ecosystem as a whole as well as in specific subject areas; the number of R&D projects implemented during this period was only 5.28% of the total projects, with a fund allocation of 4.45% of the total R&D budget of India, which appears to be inadequate considering the geophysical and bio-social importance of the Himalaya. The finding suggests that national funding agencies of mountain nations need to increase the number of R&D projects in mountain regions as a priority, with the intention of developing scientific packages capable of restoring the degraded ecosystem of the mountains and ensuring their sustainable development.