Future of Agriculture-Agri-Silviculture”

Future of Agriculture-Agri-silviculture is a Component of agroforestry and is a farming method that combines the growing of different crops and trees together on the same piece of land. It helps to use resources more and create a sustainable farming system. Combining agriculture and forestry, agroforestry not only addresses food security but also nurtures the environment and boosts rural economies.

The increasing human population is placing unprecedented demands on food and natural resources. Agroforestry offers an economical and ecologically viable option for large-scale diversification in agriculture.

More diversification can be achieved by establishing agri-silviculture and Agri-silvi-horticulture systems. This system includes growing agricultural crops, trees, and fruit trees together on the same piece of land at the same time. It is very common in tropical regions of India as a home garden but has the potential to be adopted in semi-arid regions of north India.

Types of Agroforestry [Future of Agriculture-Agri-Silviculture]

• Agri-Silviculture
  • The growing of agricultural crops along with forest crops is known as Agri-silviculture.
  • Agriculture crops + Forest crops (Silviculture)
• Agri-Silvi-Horticulture system
  • Agriculture crops + Horticulture + Silviculture
  • Various researchers have tested Eucalyptus tereticornis, kinnow, and wheat in an agri-silvi-horticultural system and found them to be suitable for semi-arid environments.
• Sylvo-Pastoral system
  • Forests are taken care of to make wood and also for the rearing of domesticated animals.
  • Silviculture + Pasture management
• Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral system
  • Agriculture crops + Forest crops + Pasture management.
• Agri-Silvi-Aquaculture System
  • Agriculture crops + Forest crops + Fish Production

It provides wood, food, fruit, and fodder from the same unit of land simultaneously.  It has been estimated that an increasing population and changing dietary intake will lead to about an 80–120% increase in global food requirements by 2050. Therefore, appropriate manipulations in existing models and systems are extremely required to obtain maximum productivity per unit area and agri-silvi-horticulture seems a viable option for this.

In the Agri-silvi-horticulture system, perennial trees provide the option to increase the tree cover outside the forest. Since the world is facing climate change issues these systems can provide more area under trees to cope with ever-increasing temperatures. In the changing climate scenario, the tree-crop interface may be an adoption strategy and the carbon market may add to the profitability margins, which are yet not realized. And also trees provide various wood and non-timber products that help farmers to increase their source of income and various intangible benefits.

Forestry tree plants like

• Dalbergia sisoo, Celtis australis, Grewia optiwa, Toona ciliata, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia nilotica etc.
• There is a need to develop a land use management system that not only gives sustainable agricultural production but also provides economic stability to poor farmers throughout the whole year.

Horticulture fruit plants like

• Carica papaya, Citrus spp, Punica granatum, Phyllanthus emblica, Psidium guajava, Mangifera indica, Manilkara zapota, Annona squamosa, Ziziphus mauritiana.
• Amla, Sweet orange, and guava are important fruit crops that have the potential to grow in the arid zone under the Agri-silvi-horticulture system.

Therefore, establishing trees that are shade-demander would be beneficial. Various plantation species can successfully thrive in such systems as ginger, yam, colocassia, turmeric, coffee, black pepper, etc. Deciduous trees can be successfully installed in such systems as they remain leafless for a period of time thus allowing the crop growing along to utilize proper sunlight and other resources.

However, farmers can take a variety of annual on seasonal crops under these systems but shade-loving crops are suitable to grow under the Agri-silvi-horticulture system. In this system, pulses like lentils and beans are the important crops we grow. But if we need, we can also plant crops like sorghum and pearl millet in the spaces between the fruit trees.

Benefits of Agroforestry [Future of Agriculture-Agri-Silviculture]

• This system provides multiple benefits and provides various products such as food, fruits, fodder, timber, fuel wood, etc.
• Improves farm site ecology by reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss and enhances the productive capacity of the farm.
• Fruit trees provide nutritional security in rural areas.
• It provides sustainability to the livelihoods of farmers in rural areas by increasing sources of income through the sale of fruit or tree products.
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Increased Productivity

Also visit: Seed Pelleting and Types of Seed Dormancy.