Fresh vegetables on the
roof of the world

Nobody thought it would be possible, but we did it

Few vegetables will grow in the short cool summer at 4,000 metres on the Tibetan Plateau, let alone at -40°C in winter. Traditional food is meat, butter, milk, yoghurt, tsampa (roasted barley flour), tea and simple sweets. Rice, vegetables and fruit are trucked in by Han Chinese operators from Kangding or Xining, cities 24 hours drive away from Sershul. Transportation adds significantly to the cost of these imports making them too expensive for the Tibetan population of the region.

The management team of VISTA had the idea to grow vegetables locally. The high altitude, thin air and harsh climate make horticulture outside very difficult.

After investigating several projects across China they decided to construct a greenhouse. It has stone walls, a metal framed roof and polycarbonate plastic ventilated roof panels and was built using local Chinese and Tibetan workers.

The German and Australian Embassies in China as well as several international organisations provided the financial support.

Three people are learning to grow the vegetables which are being used to prepare nutritious meals for the schoolchildren.

At the end of October the first cabbages (bok choi) were harvested. Everyone was excited by the high quality of the vegetables and amazed at how warm it stayed inside the greenhouse whilst there was snow outside.

We plan to construct more greenhouses and grow a variety of crops for the benefit of local people. In addition, more opportunities will be created to train young people in horticultural skills.