HPSHIVA

The Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation, and Value Addition (HPSHIVA) Project aims to increase the income of farm households in seven districts (Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Sirmour and Una) of subtropical areas of Himachal Pradesh. The project will expand climate resilient subtropical horticulture plantation area along with assured irrigation and market access through value chain development.

Under the project, plantation will be done in 400 Clusters covering an area of 6000 Hectare in 28 development blocks of project districts. The irrigation facility shall be ensured through 162 Irrigation schemes. The Farmers in these clusters will be organised in the form of CHPMA Cooperative Societies / FPOs to be registered under the Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Society Act, 1968.

In the long-term, the HPSHIVA project will contribute to (i) increased income of rural households in Himachal Pradesh; and (ii) strengthened climate resilience in Himachal Pradesh.

The HPSHIVA project will expand irrigation facilities to farmers; increase subtropical horticulture production and its climate resilience; and raise the profitability & farm gate price of subtropical horticulture production through value chain development of targeted commodities.

This high priority project is considered as a key intervention to the state's agriculture/horticulture based economy and is a major contributor to the state's overall GDP.

The Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation, and Value Addition Project (HPSHIVA), funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is a flagship initiative of the Government of Himachal Pradesh aimed at transforming the state’s horticulture sector into a globally competitive and sustainable enterprise. The project focuses on high-density plantation using scientific and climate-smart technologies for a wide range of fruit crops including citrus, litchi, guava, pomegranate, mango, plum, pecan nut, and Japanese fruits over 6,000 hectares in subtropical regions. Implemented through a cluster-based and commercially-driven approach, HPSHIVA seeks to enhance farm productivity, diversify cropping systems, and significantly augment farmer incomes while strengthening the state’s contribution to agricultural GDP. By integrating modern irrigation infrastructure, advanced cultivation practices, and resilient production systems, the project addresses critical challenges such as water scarcity, climate variability, and low productivity, ensuring long-term sustainability and competitiveness.

In addition to production enhancement, HPSHIVA lays strong emphasis on post-harvest management, value-chain development, and market integration. The project is fostering the establishment of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Cooperative Societies to enable aggregation, collective bargaining, and access to institutional finance. Strategic investments in grading, sorting, packaging, cold-chain logistics, and processing facilities will reduce post-harvest losses, enhance product quality, and unlock value-added market opportunities. With direct benefits to 15,000 farmer households and the creation of over 82,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities annually, the project is poised to be a key driver of rural transformation. Supported by a financial outlay of ₹1,292 crore, HPSHIVA is not only a roadmap for climate-resilient horticulture and rural prosperity, but also a step towards positioning Himachal Pradesh as a national leader in subtropical horticulture, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on food security, climate action, and sustainable livelihoods.