Almost 71% of Uttarakhand’s total geographical area is covered in forests. Since 2000, forest fires have affected over 48,000 hectares of the state. Uncontrolled fires contributed heavily to the depletion and exhaustion of natural forests, biodiversity, soil fertility and sustainable forest-based production. The Hans Foundation ​​is working with the Forest Department of Uttarakhand on a pilot program, designed to alleviate this problem by sustainably reducing the incidence of forest fires in the targeted area of Garhwal by leveraging the involvement of the local community. THF works on Mitigation and Preparedness to complement the forest department’s work on Recovery.

Farmers across India predominantly cultivate mono-cropped staples because high post-harvest perishability poses a severe financial gamble, preventing them from diversifying crops and regenerating degraded soils. To resolve this bottleneck, The Hans Foundation is deploying low-cost straw bale cold rooms capable of safely storing 2,500 kilograms of produce at 4°C in 42°C summer heat for under one dollar of electricity per day. By establishing dedicated training schools across India to upskill thousands of local builders, the initiative provides the economic security smallholders need to diversify harvests, restore ecosystems, and achieve lasting food and income security.