Lessons Western Ghats

University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, College of Forestry, Ponnampet, Kodagu, India

Dr. G.M. Devagiri Professor

• 1985: B. Sc (Forestry) programme started at GKVK,

Bangalore • 1995: Established as independent College of Forestry at Ponnampet • 1995: Creation of Five Specialized Departments • 2001: M. Sc (Forestry) programme • Presently we have four Depts. SAF NRM FB&TI FPU

Genesis of the Institution

• Amidst Western Ghats : One of the 32 Hot

Spots and one of the 8 of the hottest hot spots of Biodiversity in the world which harbors rich flora and fauna

• Kodagu district comprises 1342 species of flowering plants which constitutes 8 % of India’s and 32 % of floristic diversity of Karnataka state

4

Western Ghats

• 1600 km long mountain range.

• Hotspot of Biodiversity • UNSECO World Héritage site • Socio-cultural Diversity

Source : ww

w.atlapedia.com

28 mars 2014 5

Kodagu District • Total area: 4106 km2

• Population : 540 000 hab. • Agriculture is the way of life • Unique Land Tenure Systems • Unique Socio Cultural Systems • Micro Hot Spot of Biodiversity

One of the densely wooded district in India . Highest density of sacred forests in the world Kodagu has 8% of India’s plant wealth Largest shade coffee growing region in India (38% ) Coorg Honey, Coorg Orange, Coorg Cardamom,

Ecosystem Services – Water, Carbon, Tourism GREEN LANDSCAPE –EVERGREEN DEVLOPMENT-LINK

BETWEEN GREEN COVER AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Kodagu – A Green Landscape

Coffee

Orange

Pepper Honey

Cardamom

Our natural treasures

Dynamic Landscape

• Changes in Land use • Impacts on Biodiversity • Impact on Ecosystem Services • Impact on Socio Cultural Services

CAFNET Presentation 9

History British 1834

Independance1947 Liberalisation 1992

British Companies and owners

COFFEE/ PEPPER

Traditional farmers PADDY/CARDAMOM

Family farm

COFFEE / PEPPER PADDY/CARDAMOM

Worker / Fam. Farm

< 2 acres Cardamom or

COFFEE / PEPPER + self consumption

Development of Coffee area

Market prices Arabica =>

Robusta

Today

Landscape Changes in the last century

Loss of Forest Cover

Loss of Native Trees from Coffee Plantations and replacements with Silver Oak

Loss of Community lands like sacred groves

Conversion of Paddy Lands to other land uses and habitation

CAF 12

1977 1997

Landscape dynamics

Coffee -100% Forest -30%

Evergreen Forests

Coffee Plantations

Deciduous Forests 2007

• Traditional socio cultural farming • Food , Fodder and water security • Local evolved farming practices • Habitat for biodiversity

• Hydrological Services- Current water crisis

can be linked to reduction in paddy cultivation.

Paddy cultivation for economic and ecological security

Why Paddy is not needy ?

• Lower Economic returns compared to coffee • Lower productivity • Lesser farm farmers and farm labour • Crop Loss due Wild Animals • Lack of grazing land and farm animals • From Collective to Individual ownership • Urbanization and tourism • Shift from Rice from Farm to Rice from shop

Sacred Groves (Devakad) Bio-Cultural Heritage sites of Kodagu

Very high number of 1214 groves covering an area of 2550 ha.

Highest density in the world – One grove for every 300 acres.

Every village has at least one and there are 24 villages with > 10 groves.

They represent all the vegetational and microhabitat conditions of the district.

Diversity of Communities

28 different native communities including native muslims called ‘Jamma mapillas’ are part of this worship.

Traditional heads ‘Devathakkas’ or ‘Mukyastha’ and traditional management of the temples.

Mechanism for Communal and social integration.

Biological Diversity The physical, religious, cultural diversity has

contributed to a unique set of biological diversity…

Though sacred groves occupy on an average 1.22% of the village landscape they contain 47.34% of woody plant, 44.91% of bird families and 21.11% of fungal families that could be potentially found in wet evergreen forests of Kodagu.

(Shonil Bhagwat and Kushalappa 2000).

Biotic interference Loss of affinity towards the Sacred Groves Enchrochment Lack of awareness Non involvement of local people in conservation From To Nature worship Temple worship Annual worship Daily worship Forest Temples Temple Forest

Threats to the Sacred Forest of Kodagu

Ecological Implications

• Private Forest – Cardamom- coffee • Arabica-shaded Robusta-Open Robusta • Native to Exotic • Loss of Biodiversity • Loss in Ecosystem Services • Increase in Human Animal conflicts • Increase in farm income

Major ES offered by CBAF

Coffee ecosystems

Humans

Ecosystem services

•Carbon sequestration

•Pollination

•Soil enrichment

•Air and water quality

•Ecotourism

Biodiversity conservation

Coffee and Biodiversity

• Tree diversity- 280 • Birds 109 species • Elephants, Tigers, Civet Cat • Microorganisms • Honey Bees One of the most diverse Agro Forest systems in the world

Cafnet Final report 2011

Most frequent species in CBAF

20%

10%

5%

4%

4%

57%

Grevillea robusta

Erythrina lithosperma

Acrocarpus fraxinifolius

Areca catechu

Artocarpus heterophyllus

Others

Bird Diversity

Impact of Silver Oak on bird diversity

Total carbon sequestered in forest and CBAF

Carbon(t/ha)

system Tree Coffee Soil Litter Total

Forest 97 - 97 2,4 196

Arabica native

88 4,8 112 1,6 206

Arabica exotic

73 3,3 105 2,2 183

Robusta native

78 13,0 90 1,8 182

Robusta exotic

47 10,1 78 1,9 138

Phillipe et al, 2009

Carbon Sequestration

• Arabica AFS, particularly with native species, sequestered

comparable amount of C as reference forest

• Decline in C sequestered in Robusta AFS shaded with the

exotic species Grevillea robusta is quite noticeable

• Contribution to Wood energy needs of community and

maintain integrity of natural forests

• Coffee plantations provide ideal habitats

• Coffee plantations adjoining

National park and WLS provide ideal corridors.

• In 2013 64 elephants residing in plantations

Elephants like coffee

Social Issues related to Land Use Change • Population dynamics Growth in recent years due to immigration from

outside and Emigration of locals • Lack of Second generation farmers and labour • From Joint to Nuclear families

Money brings many things-Economic drivers

• Additional income from Intensification • Tourism and its impacts • Increase in value of land

Political • Regulations for products and resource use Wildlife Act 1972 Forest Conservation Act 1980 Biodiversity Act 2002 Tribal Act 2003 UNSECO World Heritage Label Gadgil and Kasturiangan report –ESA • Land Tenure and Tree rights- Jamma Issue

Dynamics and challenges

• Declining tree cover in natural forests • Decline in density and diversity of trees in

coffee plantations • Reduction in area under paddy cultivation • Encroachment of Sacred groves • Lack of Second generation farmers and

labour • How to sustain the productivity and

profitability of farming system without the losing biodiversity??

Link between ES, Biodiversity and livelihood improvement

How to address these dynamics and continue to produce economically and ecologically

sustainable farm products? • From Productivity to quality productivity. • From Regulation to Certification. • From Subsidies to Incentives. • From Agriculture to Agri- Business. Ecosystem Service Valuation and Incentive

Based Mechanisms for Sustainable farming

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in Kodagu, Western Ghats of India- A Win Win Approach of

Development?

1. Eco-certification – Bird Friendly, Elephant Coffee

2. Geographic Indications –Coorg Mandarin

3. Forest Certification

4. Eco-tourism

5. Involvement of Corporate

Possible PES Mechanisms for Kodagu

Eco-Certification -CANET Initiative Ecom Gill , Ned commodities and Coffee Board partnership.

Eight farmer groups and 89 farmers certified under project for RAF and UTZ

Additionally Corporate and 90 individual farmers

Coffee and Honey-Win Win formula.

Honey from Coorg what is special?

• Multi floral and Seasonal variation in quality • Traditional knowledge of apiculturist • Tradition of using honey as food • First district to take up scientific bee farming • Establishment of cooperative -1936 and 1954 • Proposed Honey park to promote apiculture

Landscape labeling

Promoting Paddy cultivation

• Productivity increase • Mechanization • Collective farming • Financial Incentives for cultivation- PES • Enhancement of Support Price • Regulation and Legislation on conversion

Integrated Farming for Sustainability • Bamboo cultivation • Vegetable farming • Medicinal and Aromatic plants • Floriculture • Apiculture • Animal integration • Value addition for plantation crops

Initiative in Conservation of Sacred Forest Revival of Devakad (Sacred Forest ) tradition through stake holder participation- JFPM Formation of Sacred Forest Management Committees Incentives for communities in conservation.

Role of Government Developmental department- Agriculture, Horticulture,

Watershed, Forestry. Inputs-RKVY, NHM, Organic farming Price- MSP, RMC Credit- NABARD, DCCBank, Self Help groups • Coffee Board- Subsides and Incentives • Spices Board – Subsidies and Incentives

RESEARCH And EXTENSION

• Agricultural Universities-ARS and EEU • Indian Institute of Horticultural Research-KVK • Indian Institute of Spices Research • Coffee Board • Agriculture and Horticulture Department

NGO’s Promoting Sustainable development

• ASFK-Agricultural Sciences Forum of Kodgu • KMFT- Kodagu Model Forest Trust • CWS- Coorg Wildlife Society • CEE-Centre for Environment Education • CORD-Coorg Organisation for Rural

Development • Rotary ,Lions, JCI Clubs

KODAGU - KAVERI - KRISHI

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