She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from H.N.B. Garhwal University and is a Gold Medalist. She brings valuable experience in healthcare and community outreach. Kiran has extensive experience in organizing health camps, conducting awareness sessions on hygiene and menstrual health, supporting ANC/PNC beneficiaries, and working closely with ASHA/ANM workers and PRI members in rural areas. She is passionate about community welfare and committed to improving access to healthcare services in remote regions.
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Deepraj Singh
Mr. Deepraj Singh – working as an Academic Facilitator under the Girl Child Education Program (GCEP) in Uttarkashi. He brings prior work experience with UJVNL and has also actively contributed as a volunteer with Nehru Yuva Kendra, Uttarkashi. He is a B.Sc. graduate and UTET qualified, with a strong interest in education and community development.
Umesh Upadhyay
Mr. Umesh Upadhyay is a seasoned Project Coordinator with experience working with reputed institutions such as CHRI and TISS. He has been actively involved in project implementation under national programs including the Central TB Division, Ayushman Bharat, and the National Health Mission (NHM). His core strengths include programme management, community engagement, and stakeholder coordination, ensuring effective planning and on-ground execution of public health initiatives.
Mr. Abhishek Mehta
He holds an M.Com and an MBA in Finance, with a total professional experience of 7.6 years in the finance domain. He is a detail-oriented professional with strong expertise in accurate and compliant financial reporting, thorough audit practices, and precise financial data analysis. He possesses excellent time management skills, enabling him to manage multiple priorities effectively while delivering high-quality outcomes under strict deadlines.
Mr. Sheetal Rana
He holds a B.Sc. in Agriculture and an M.Sc. in Horticulture, and has prior experience working with the Centre for Business and Entrepreneurial Development (CBED) and the Integrated Livelihood Support Program (ILSP) of UGVS.
He is a positive-minded and confident person who enjoys playing cricket. He has acquired extensive experience, including active involvement in rural development and organic farming initiatives, and has gained practical insights into strategies for community engagement and prevention of rural migration.
FCRA 2024-25
Focused Rural Development Programme (FRDP)
Supported by – HDFC Bank
The project “Empowering Farmers through Sustainable Farming and Value Addition in the Himalayan State” is a focused initiative aimed at transforming agricultural practices in Kandaghat Tehsil, Himachal Pradesh, from April 2024.
The programme seeks to enhance farmers’ livelihoods through an integrated approach that promotes sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices, value addition to agricultural produce, and improved market access. By supporting farmers in adopting better production techniques and strengthening linkages with markets, the project aims to increase incomes and contribute to a sustainable improvement in their overall quality of life.
JICA supported by Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Project (UKIHDP)
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)–supported Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Project (UKIHDP) is a flagship initiative of the overnment of Uttarakhand aimed at enhancing farm incomes in hill regions through structured horticulture value-chain development. The project focuses on improving productivity, quality, post-harvest management, institutional capacity, and market linkages for selected high-value crops in climatically suitable clusters.
Under UKIHDP, Mount Valley Development Association (MVDA) has been selected as the implementing agency for two blocks of Uttarkashi district—Mori and Bhatwari—based on its long-standing experience in hill agriculture, farmer mobilisation, and institutional development.MVDA in partnership with Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Society implementing JICA supported by Uttarakhand Integrated Horticulture Development Project (UKIHDP)
Implementation Geography & Crop Focus:
- Mori Block: High Density Apple Plantation
- Bhatwari Block: Potato Seed Village development
The selection of crops is aligned with agro-climatic suitability, existing farmer practices, and
market demand, ensuring both technical feasibility and economic viability.
Institutional Framework & Roles:
The project follows a multi-institutional delivery model with clearly defined responsibilities:
- JICA Provides strategic financing, technical expertise, global best practices, project
design support, and monitoring frameworks.
- MVDA- CBBO (Community-Based Business Organisation)
Responsible for farmer mobilisation, formation of producer clusters, strengthening
production discipline, quality assurance systems, and initial business orientation at the
community level.
- Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)
Acts as the commercial arm of the project—aggregating produce/seed, procuring inputs,
undertaking value addition, establishing market linkages, and ensuring sustainability
beyond the project period.
Block-wise Intervention Strategy
A. Mori Block – High density Apple plantation
Key interventions include:
- Promotion and adoption of High Density Apple Plantation (HDP) systems, enabling early
bearing, higher productivity per unit area
- Introduction of improved post-harvest handling, grading, and aggregation systems to
reduce losses and improve quality consistency
- Market linkage through FPO-led collective marketing, ensuring better price realisation,
scale advantages.
Objective:
To improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance price realisation for apple
growers through organised value-chain development.
Bhatwari Block – Potato Seed Village Development
Key interventions include:
- Development of potato seed production clusters
- Training on quality seed production protocols and disease management
- Linkages with certification and technical agencies
- Aggregation and distribution through FPO platforms
Objective:
To establish Bhatwari as a reliable source of quality potato seed, reducing farmer dependency
on external seed markets and improving net farm income.
Key Objectives:
To promote profitable horticulture and improve farmer’s income by area expansion of targeted crops, infrastructure development and capacity development for production, processing and marketing of horticulture crops, thereby contributing to economic and social development in Uttarakhand state.
It is imperative to encourage farmers to be part of the producer collectives with the goal of promoting FPOs for enhancing market access, economies of scale, improved risk management, and instilling essential business skills among farmers.
The project places a strong emphasis on setting up primary processing and cold storage units, among other facilities, to enhance quality control and advance FPOs. Additionally, training will be provided to ensure post-harvest handling, value addition, and business management. The ultimate goal of the project is to use the power of collectivization and ultimately enhancing the income of the farmers.
Project Location: Bhatwari and Mori Block of Uttarkashi district
Lalit Kumar
Lalit is working as an Agriculture Associate under the FRDP Project – Himachal Pradesh.
He is originally from District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
He brings with him valuable experience from his previous roles. He has worked for 2 years as a Cluster Incharge in Anni, Kullu, where he actively supported field operations and cluster-level activities. Following that, he served as an Agriculture Inspector for about 11 months at the Global Certification Society, Palampur, gaining hands-on experience in agricultural oversight and field assessment.
Sunita
Ms. Sunita hails from Jaunpur, Tehri Garhwal and is associated with MVDA as an Academic Facilitator. She brings with her over 6 years of experience in teaching Science, Social Studies, and English at the primary level. She also loves sports activities. Her extensive background in the education sector reflects her passion, self-motivation, and commitment to hard work.
