At an altitude of almost 4,000 meters, the Himalayan village of Sakti faces brutal farming conditions. With minimal rainfall, the climate is harsh, as farmer Gelak Gutme, who has cultivated wheat, peas, and potatoes for 65 years, tells us. It’s a desert-like environment, and Gutme emphasizes that global warming has worsened the situation dramatically. “Now there is scarcity of water. Last year I lost everything – my entire field dried up due to lack of water,” he laments. For countless generations, small glaciers above the valleys acted like frozen reservoirs, providing water at the right time for spring farming. But now, those glaciers have vanished, turning the landscape into a dry wasteland. “There’s nothing left at the top to melt,” says Lobzang Fardod, a member of the local water management committee.
The brief summer means farmers must plant their crops by May; otherwise, winter arrives before harvest. Water is crucial, especially in early spring. In response to these growing challenges, some villages in Ladakh began creating their own ice reservoirs in the early 2010s. This innovative system involved piping water from higher altitudes during winter and spraying it into the air, where it would freeze and form large towers of ice known as ice stupas. While this method provided meltwater in spring, managing it during harsh winters was a nightmare, as Fardod puts it. When temperatures plunged to minus 20 or sometimes even minus 30 degrees Celsius, the water in the pipes would freeze, cracking them and ruining the whole setup. Teams of farmers camped near the water source, rushing to clear blockages with boiling water, especially during the coldest nights.
But that might be changing now. Murtaza Ali, an executive engineer in the Irrigation and Flood Control Division at the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, highlights that traditional water systems are failing, leaving Leh-Ladakh as a hub for innovative, grassroots engineering. The ice stupa system was not the most efficient either, as the constant flow of water on warmer days would melt the ice that had already formed. However, a tech upgrade has introduced a new system in partnership with Acres of Ice, called the Automated Ice Reservoir (AIR). This new method precisely controls ice production. Water is piped under pressure from the mountains and shoots out like a “massive fountain,” as described by Dr. Suryanarayanan Balasubramanian, founder of Acres of Ice. The system is monitored by a weather station, which tracks environmental conditions.
If temperatures drop too fast, the system automatically drains standing water from the pipes, preventing damage. This not only protects the pipes but also improves ice production efficiency. Instead of a constant spray of water, AIR releases bursts of mist, allowing layers of droplets to freeze before spraying again. “The system is smart, converting almost all diverted water into ice,” Balasubramanian explains. The villagers have a manual override if needed, giving them some control.
The results have been promising. Villagers report that groundwater levels are being replenished, and spring sources are reviving. “They are getting water on time,” Ali notes. In the winter of 2025, ten AIR projects were launched across Ladakh, marking a significant step forward. Balasubramanian emphasizes the challenge ahead: “How can we multiply the number of ice reservoirs we’re building? Can we build a dozen with the same system that previously only supported one?”
Back in Sakti, Gutme feels a sense of optimism. The AIR system has provided a reliable water source, and he hopes that two more artificial glaciers will be built in the village. “I don’t know the technology; all I know is that I have water to grow my crops,” he shares. The harsh climate has made life difficult, pushing many youths to consider leaving for cities, which would have been a disaster for the community.
As the villagers embrace this innovative solution, the future looks a bit brighter. Could this be the turning point for farmers in Ladakh? Only time will tell…
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber