Sustainable Agroforestry Systems for Livelihood Security and their Economic Appraisal in Indian Himalayas

• Published in: Economic affairs (Calcutta) 2018-09, Vol.63 (3), p.633-639
• Main Author: Yadav, R.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agriculture; Agroforestry; Biodiversity; Carbon sequestration; Climate change; Ecology; Economic analysis; Ecosystems; Environmental economics; Expenditures; Farms; Forestry; Horticulture; Influence; Land use; Management decisions; Manures; Natural resources; Precipitation; Rural areas; Sea level; Sustainability; Topography; Watersheds
• ISSN: 0424-2513; 0976-4666
• DOI: 10.30954/0424-2513.3.2018.7

Sustainable indigenous agroforestry systems are mainstay of rural agrarian economy coupled with livestock rearing in mountains of Himalayas. A 2B4D6-watershed was selected in Central Himalayas to investigate economic returns from agriculture based agroforestry systems. A detailed structured analysis revealed four types of agriculture based agroforestry systems are prevalent in the 2B4D6-watershed of Indian Central Himalaya. These agroforestry systems are profitable to farmers and can obtain more than two-fold returns from agriculture based agroforestry systems. The net return from these systems decreased in the order: Agrihorticulture > Agrihortisilviculture > Agrisilvihorticulture > Agrisilviculture. The highest benefit cost ratio from agroforestry systems was obtained at higher elevation E5 and it decreased with decrease in elevations in the order: E4 > E3 > E2 > E1. Thus, we conclude that agroforestry systems are not only sustainable but also are imperative for livelihood security of local inhabitants of Indian Central Himalayas.