Artificial glacier could help Ladakh villagers adapt to climate change
By Janaki Lenin
Villagers of the high desert of Ladakh in India’s Jammu and Kashmir state used to harvest bountiful crops of barley, wheat, fruits, and vegetables in summer.
But for years the streams have run dry in spring, just when farmers needed water to sow seeds. They had water when it wasn’t needed during the rest of the year, such as in winter, when Ladakhis let water gush from taps to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.
Villagers blame climate change for causing glaciers to shrink by melting them faster than before.
By McKay Savage (CC BY 2.0)