Over 50 villagers participate in deliberations on sustainable livelihoods; organisation highlights initiatives benefiting families in Tia and Temisgam
LEH: The Ladakh Environment and Health Organization (LEHO) has called for decentralising tourism and reviving traditional agriculture through substantial government subsidies to strengthen rural livelihoods and address the growing migration of youth from villages to urban centres.
The recommendations emerged during a day-long seminar on sustainable development and livelihoods organised by LEHO in the villages of Tia and Temisgam on October 13. The programme witnessed the participation of over 50 villagers, including Nambardars and the President of Ama Tsokspa, reflecting strong community engagement in discussions on the future of rural Ladakh.
During the deliberations, participants highlighted the changing economic landscape of the Union Territory, where the traditional land-based economy has increasingly shifted towards tourism. However, they observed that tourism activities remain concentrated in just three to four major hotspots, limiting the benefits reaching remote villages and contributing to the migration of young people in search of livelihood opportunities.
Dr. Mohammed Deen, Founder of LEHO, appreciated the contributions and participation of villagers and urged them to continue their efforts towards.
The participants stressed the need to decentralise tourism by extending opportunities to rural areas and provide substantial government support to agriculture. Reviving farming, they maintained, is essential not only for generating local employment but also for strengthening village economies and reducing dependence on a tourism sector concentrated in a few destinations.
Over the past two years, LEHO has undertaken several initiatives in Tia and Temisgam aimed at improving livelihood opportunities, promoting agricultural activities and supporting rural households.
As part of these efforts, the organisation has helped establish 10 model homestays to encourage community-based tourism. Apricot dryers have been provided to 15 families to support post-harvest processing and value addition, while five vegetable nurseries have been established in collaboration with five families.
In another initiative aimed at promoting cultivation and generating income, LEHO distributed 179 kg of pea seeds and 89 kg of buckwheat seeds among 61 families for demonstration and livelihood generation, with particular focus on low-income households.
The organisation reported encouraging outcomes from these interventions, with the seminar also serving as a platform to review activities undertaken so far and discuss future plans for the coming year in consultation with the local community.
Reports on the initiatives and activities were presented by Tashi Thokmat, Deputy Director, and Tsewang Tharchin, Field Officer, who briefed participants on the work carried out in the two villages.
