Leh: DRDO working to cultivate vegetables for Indian soldiers who are preparing for intense winters ahead

They are likely to use technologies like passive greenhouse technology, zero energy-based technique storage, and microgreens to cultivate vegetables in the region.

The research for the same is being done by DRDO's Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), reports ANI.

While speaking to ANI, DIHAR's Director, Dr Om Prakash Chaurasia said that the focus is now on to augment the availability of fresh vegetables in winters like summers.

"With DRDO technology and hill council, all vegetables can be grown in summer but now our focus is on winters that how to augment the availability of fresh items in winters," he said.

"There are two approaches, one is to standardise the greenhouse technology," he said.

"This (Leh) place has high intercity of solar even during peak winter period so we are working on a passive greenhouse. We will be able to grow cabbage, cauliflower, and even tomato even in the month of January where the temperature drops till -25 degrees," he said.

"We have an underground greenhouse as well. Another approach is to develop the storage of vegetables grown in summers. It is zero energy-based storage technology. Potato, cabbage, cauliflower, Raddish, carrot can be stored for 4-5 months," said Chaurasia.

Talking about microgreens, Dr Dorjee, a scientist in DIHAR, told ANI, "In the far area, Army is deployed in harsh conditions and there is no availability of substrate or soil to grow vegetables. Through technology, we will be able to provide these microgreen plants to army jawan when he is having lunch or breakfast in those areas."