STUDIES ON IDENTIFICATION AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF EXISTING AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN KANGRA DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2017
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Publisher
UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The study entitled “Studies on identification and socio-economic status of existing agroforestry systems
in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh.” was conducted during the year 2014-15 with the aim to evaluate existing
agroforestry systems, estimation of their biological yield and economic returns, to find out technological gaps in the
systems and thereby propose means to overcome them. The study sites were selected through stratified random
sampling technique. The Kangra District was divided into three altitudinal zones viz. Zone- I (< 500 m amsl), Zone- II
(500-1000 m amsl) and Zone- III (> 1000 m amsl). In each altitudinal zone, four panchayats were selected randomly.
From each selected panchayats as per classification of government of Himachal Pradesh, farmers were divided on the
basis of their land holding into four different farmers categories: 1. Marginal (<1 ha), 2. Small (1-2 ha), 3. Medium (2-5 ha) and 4. Large (>5 ha) and a random sample of five farmers from each category were taken as ultimate unit of the
study. Twenty farmers were falling in each category in each altitudinal zone except large category in altitudinal zoneIII as there was no farmer found in large category in selected panchayats. The data was collected through pre-tested
schedule for the purpose through personal interviews with head of the each household and field sampling. SocioEconomic Status of farmers has been evaluated taking into account their average family structure, sex- ratio,
educational status of the head of families, literacy of families, status of off-farm employment, livestock status and land
holding size. The study revealed that six agroforestry systems types prevalent among different categories of farmers in
three altitudinal zones namely: Agrisilviculture (AS), Agrisilvihorticulture (ASH), Agrihorticulture (AH),
Agrisilvipastoral (ASP), Pastoralsilviculture (PS) and Silvipastoral (SP). The maximum total biomass production
among agroforestry systems type in three altitudinal zones was observed in ASH, zone- II (41.17 t ha
-1
) while in
farmers category it was observed maximum in ASH, large farmers category (40.46 t ha
-1
). Higher total biomass
production of pastoral agroforestry systems type among three altitudinal zones was noticed in SP, zone- III (52.46 t
ha
-1
) whereas, in farmers category it was recorded maximum in SP, small farmers category (47.45 t ha
-1
). Also, the
higher net returns of agroforestry systems at three altitudinal zones was noticed in AS, zone- I (Rs. 192520.34), while
in farmers category it was observed maximum in AS, large farmers category (Rs. 240734.32). In pastoral agroforestry
systems, the highest net returns among three altitudinal zones was noticed in ASP, zone- III (Rs. 155642.11) whereas,
in farmers category it was recorded maximum in ASP, medium farmers category (Rs. 151663.99). Benefit: Cost ratio
of agroforestry systems among three altitudinal zones was noticed highest in AS, zone- III (2.05) while in farmers
category it was observed maximum in ASH, large farmers category (2.00). In pastoral agroforestry systems highest
Benefit: Cost ratio among three altitudinal zones was noticed in PS, zone II (2.58) whereas, in farmers category it was
recorded maximum in PS, large farmers category (2.51).The technological gaps/constraints viz. social, technological
and infrastructural found in the study area highlighted the inherent weakness of existing agroforestry systems. From
the above study it is inferred that among identified agroforestry systems type most predominant were agrisilviculture
(AS) and pastoralsilviculture (PS) systems in Kangra District. Hence the study represents the clear picture of biomass
and economic analysis of existing agroforestry system which will help the local peoples to fulfil their basic needs and
the researchers to gain the benefit from the agroforestry.
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