Swaran Lata*, Vivek Chauhan and Shiv Paul
Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Conifer Campus, Panthaghati, Shimla,
Himachal Pradesh, India
Email: swaranswaras86@gmail.com
Received-06.03.2023, Revised-15.03.2023, Accepted-26.03.2023
Abstract: The practice of agroforestry in Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh is as old as the agriculture itself. Farmers retain socially, ecologically and economically important trees, shrubs and herbs on their agroforestry land use systems for the multiple benefits they provides. Presently continuous expanding human and livestock population is leading huge pressure on nature and due to overuse of natural resources there are many incidences of natural disasters. Considering the tremendous scope of silvipastoral systems in improving productivity of degraded lands, livelihood of farming communities and in environmental security, present study was conducted in 12 representative villages of all four agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh. Present study revealed that currently in Himachal Pradesh farmers are managing their silvipastoral land use systems traditionally and among all farmer categories marginal farmers were having more diverse system units 29, 16, 10 and 7 respectively in zone-I, II, III, IV whereas in small category 14, 10, 6, 2 and in medium category 3, 3, 2, 5 recorded in zone-I, II, III, IV respectively. Therefore considering the advantages of agroforestry, popularization of agroforestry through organizing mass scale unawareness programmes, distribution and plantation of improved and high yielding plant species along with technological interventions are urgently required for the utilization of full potential of existing silvipastoral systems.
Keywords: Agroforestry system, Farmers, Himachal Pradesh, Himalaya, Silvipastoral systems, System units
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