Agroforestry systems vis-a-vis socio-economic dynamics of the farmers: A case study of Baijnath tehsil, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

India, despite its significant agricultural advancements, faces challenges such as food insecurity and land degradation, particularly due to climate change. Agroforestry has the potential to enhance the resilience and sustainability of cropping systems necessary to meet the projected food grain demands of 311 million tonnes (mt) by 2030 and 350 mt by 2050. Policies must be tailored to suit regional socio-economic contexts to promote agroforestry effectively. This study explored traditional agroforestry systems and the socio-economic conditions of farmers in Baijnath tehsil, Himachal Pradesh, assessing 150 households across marginal, small, and medium farm categories. Data regarding family structure, educational qualifications, and land use were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The findings revealed a predominance of nuclear families, with an average size of 5.26 members, a high literacy rate of 89.3% and a preference for cattle. Average landholdings were 0.73 ha for marginal farmers, 1.74 ha for small farmers, and 2.57 ha for medium farmers, with agriculture being the primary land use. Factors such as farm size, family size, literacy rate, and livestock numbers significantly influenced agroforestry practices. The identified agroforestry systems included agri-silviculture (AS), agri-silvi-horticulture (ASH) and others. Notably, the agri-silvi-horticulture (ASH) system exhibited the highest biomass production potential of 25.3 t ha-1, whereas the pastoral-silviculture (PS) system had the lowest, at 13.8 t ha-1. There was a significant positive relationship between income from agroforestry and variables like farm size, household size, literacy rate, and livestock holdings. These findings are crucial for developing sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers in the region.