World Congress on Agroforestry, New Delhi10th February 2014

Livelihood diversification through

agroforestry in semi arid regions of

India

JVNS Prasad

Central Research Institute for Dryland

Agriculture, Hyderabad

Distribution of Semi arid regions in India

Regions Arid

regi

ons

Semi arid

regions

Dry

sub

humid

regionsDry Moist

Geograp

hical area

coverage

19% 12% 25.9% 21.1%

Mean

Annual

Rainfall

<500

mm

500-

700

mm

700-

1100

mm

1100-

1600

mm

Growing

Season

Upto

75

days

75-100

days

120

days

150

days

Tree based systems provides several products

and meets diversified needs of communities

in semi arid regions

Product Contribution in percentage

Fuelwood 50

Green fodder 10

Small timber 66

Pulpwood 60

Plywood 70-80

Source of Medicines for tribal systems

(Dhyani et al., 2013)

Tree systems provide stability during years of severe drought

System Leucaena fodder yield

(t/ ha)

Crop yield

Grain (t/ha) Stover (t/ha)

Sole Leucaena 5.75 - -

Sole Groundnut - 0 1.67

Sole Mungbean - 0 0.68

Sole urdbean - 0 0.47

Alley crops

Groundnut 5.24 0 1.26

Mungbean 5.56 0 0.25

Urdbean 6.03 0 0.22

RAJKOT-Rainfall -177 (120 mm during the rainy season) vs. 625 mm average

Traditional agroforestry systems in semi arid regions

Location Prevalent Systems Preferred tree species

Hisar Scattered trees in the

farming systems

Prosopis cineraria, Acacia nilotica, Ailanthes excelsa

Zyzyphus, Psidium and Mangifera

Rahuri Silvipasture Acacia sps., Leucaena, A. indica, Prosopis

Mangifera, Punica granatum

Jhansi Agrisilviculture,

Agrihorticulture,

Silvipasture

A.indica, Albizia lebbeck, Madhuka latifolia,

Zyzyphus mauritiana, Emblica officinalis,

Parbhani Silvipasture,

Agrisilviculture, Bund

plantation

Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Tectona grandis

Zyzyphus mauritiana, Annona squamosa, Mangifera

indica

Nagpur Agrisilviculture

Trees on farm bunds

Acacia nilotica, Leucaena, Eucalyptus, Leucaena,

Mangifera indica, Citrus sps., Psidium

Hyderabad Agrihorticulture Acacia sp., Leucaena, Tectona

Mangifera indica, Annona squamosa, Tamarindus

(Pathak et al, 2000)

Agroforestry systems recommended for various SAT regions

Location Recommended AF systems

Hisar (Trans

gangetic plain zone)

Eucalyptus hybrid + Maize; Poplar+ Gram/wheat

Mango + maize; Emblica Officinalis + groundnut

Central plateau and

hills region

Azadirachta indica + groundnut, Acacia nilotica

+Sorghum/gram, Citrus + gram; Pomegranate +lentil,

Emblica+ redgram

Western plateau

and hills region

Acacia+ sorghum; Azadirachta + groundnut; Dalbergia +

gram;

Zizyphus + groundnut; Anona + sorghum; Emblica +

pigeonpea; Pomegranate + lentil/mustard

Southern plateau

and hills region

Tamarindus + chilli/tomato/curry leaf; Ailanthes +

cowpea/sesamum/sorghum/Pearlmillet

Albizia lebbeck + cowpea/sesamum/sorghum

Gujarat plains and

hills region

Azadirachta + groundnut; Acacia nilotica + cotton

Zizyphus mauritiana + groundnut; Emblica officinalis +

cotton; Punica granatum + pulses

Large scale adoption of the following systems is observed

S No Agroforestry system Area of adoption

1 Agrihorticulture systems

(Mango, Pome granate,

Sweet orange, Aonla, Ber)

Large areas in AP, Karnataka,

Maharashtra, etc.

2 Eucalyptus based systems AP, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra

3 Leucaena based systems Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra

4 Casuarina based system Tamilandu, AP

5 Ailanthes based system Gujarat, Tamilandu

6 Wadi system Tribal areas of Gujarat, Karnataka,

Maharashtra

7 Scattered trees in farms Through out Rainfed region

The total area under agroforestry in India is reported to be about

25.32 m ha out of which 7 m ha in irrigated regions and 13 m ha in

rainfed regions which is about 8% of the TRGA (Dhyani et al., 2013)

Amla + green gram

Agrihorti systems are profitable and provide stable income

Mango based agrihorti systems provide

net returns up to Rs. 46,250 with a benefit

cost ratio up to 6.3:1 by 10 nth year

Aonla based systems can provide net

returns to the tune of Rs.64632 with a

benefit cost ratio of 6.2:1 by 6 th year

Intercropping in horticulture systems

enhances the income substantially

particulalrly during the early years

Integrating small ruminants in grown up

Mango plantation can enhance the returns

substantially

Significant scope for yield improvement exists in horti

systems by adopting various practices

Crop Management practices Improvement

in fruit yields

References

Mango RDF + vermicompost + Azotobacter +

PSB + Zn + Fe + paclobutrazol

66% Yadav et

al.(2011)

Mango Drip irrigation at 75% pan evaporation

replenishment.

65% Kumar et

al.(2008)

Guava Removal of 33% of current season’s

shoot growth

99% Prakash et

al.(2012)

Aonla FYM + NPK 86 % Singh et

al.(2012)

Aonla Foliar application of 2% calcium nitrate

+ 2% urea

44 % Bisen et al

(2011)

Pome

granate

Application of Nitrogen and Potassium @

500g/plant

53 % Kashyap et

al.(2012)

Ber RDF + vermicompost + and foliar spray

of thiourea @ 0.5%

64 % Mishra et al.

(2011)

Ber Foliar spray of 0.3-0.6% borax and 0.2-

0.4% zinc sulphate

68 % Kumar and

Shukla (2010)

Short rotation forestry systems are remunerative

Agroforestry

system

Tree

densit

y/ ha

Extent of improvement

in profitability over sole

crop (%)

Eucalyptus +

intercrop

1666 362 (Rs 22085/ ha/year)

Leucaena +

intercrop

4444 287 (Rs 22085/ ha/year)

Sole eucalyptus 1666 293 (Rs 20215/ ha/year)

Sole leucaena 4444 242 (Rs 16406/ ha/year)

Sole casuarina 10000 Rs 20106/ ha/year

Yield enhancement is possible in pulpwood systems by

adopting improved management practices

Panicum maximum in Eucalyptus

Groundnut in Leucaena

Intercropping in wider rows of eucalyptus

enhances intercrop and tree productivity and

significantly enhance returns

Fertiliser application in eucalyptus enhances

the standing volume by 54%

Quality seeds and good variety in leucaena

Enhances the productivity by 40%

Rhizobium inoculation in leucaena reported to

Improve tree growth and productivity

Weed control during the initial stages of

Eucalyptus contribute to establishment and

Enhances productivity

Wadi system in tribal regions

Wadi is a small orchard of one or two

acres with crops

About 80,000 ha is under wadi system and the area is expanding

Staggered income over long term

though plantation of forest species on

the boundaries

Institutional building by formation of

cooperatives

Support for processing and marketing

of farm produceForestry on the boundary of wadi

Established mango in wadi

Slope:<15%: Bunding Slope: >15%: Tree Platforms

Successful tree establishment is the first step in successful tree farming in wadi system

Emphasis should be to enhance the survival of tree systems in rainfed systems

Teak (Tectona grandis) on bunds

Large number of farmers have planted teak ( Tectona grandis) on field boundaries

In Andhra Pradesh alone about 5 crores of saplings were planted during 2012-13

How do we scaleup these systems further

By integrating with the area based developmental programmes

such as

Watershed management programs

MGNREGA

NHM

Indira Prabha

Microirrigation projects

Institutional support is available for taking up these systems in

the form of supply of quality planting material, support for the

purchase of inputs, aftercare, provision of irrigation facilities,

How can we increase income to the communities by enhancing productivity/ adding value to the tree based products

•Creation of backward and forward linkages for fruit systems will enhance incomes of the communities

•Quality planting material plays an important role for productivity and returns (eg: mango)

•Greater access to micro irrigation systems can play a key role for enhancing the productivity

•Removal of restrictions on harvest and transport of farm grown wood ( eg: teak and bamboo)

•Providing minimum support price to wood

•Providing institutional finance for pulpwood systems

Conclusions

Some of the agroforestry systems are highly profitable

resulting in large scale adoption

There is further scope for enhancing the productivity by

adoption of recommended management practices

The impact of tree systems can be further enhanced by

scaling up by linking with area based developmental

programs

Stable markets for trees/ tree products and removal of

restrictions on harvest and transport of farm grown wood

is key for the success of tree systems in the long run

Thank You