High-altitude mountain communities increasingly face water scarcity due to changing precipitation patterns and receding glaciers. This impacts the community's ability to engage in traditional agrarian/pastoral practices and leads to climate-induced migration. Here, I present how glacier grafting in the form of artificial ice reservoirs can be a climate-adaptive solution, using experiences and learnings from the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. I will also explore possible synergies of this work in informing policy, disaster relief, technology, and other areas. 

 

Nishant Tiku is a PhD candidate at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and a Gund Institute graduate fellow. His research focuses on climate adaptation and community-based environmental initiatives in high-altitude regions. Before joining the University of Vermont, he worked in Ladakh, India, where he served as faculty and managed the Ice Stupa Project at the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL).

 

During his time in Ladakh, Nishant contributed to multi-year action research projects aimed at addressing water scarcity, food security, and climate resilience across the Trans-Himalayas and other mountain regions. These efforts were rooted in participatory design and indigenous knowledge systems, and carried out in collaboration with universities, NGOs, and government agencies. In addition, he contributed to disaster mitigation efforts focused on reducing risks from Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).