Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood Security & Ecosystem

Advances in Agroforestry 10 Jagdish Chander Dagar Anil Kumar Singh Ayyanadar Arunachalam Editors Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood Security & Ecosystem Services Advances in Agroforestry Volume 10 Series Editor P. K. Ramachandran Nair, Gainesville, USA For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/6904 Aims and Scope Agroforestry, the purposeful growing of trees and crops in interacting combinations, began to attain prominence in the late 1970s, when the international scientific community embraced its potentials in the tropics and recognized it as a practice in search of science. During the 1990s, the relevance of agroforestry for solving problems related to deterioration of family farms, increased soil erosion, surface and ground water pollution, and decreased biodiversity was recognized in the industrialized nations too. Thus, agroforestry is now receiving increasing attention as a sustainable land-management option the world over because of its ecological, economic, and social attributes. Consequently, the knowledge-base of agroforestry is being expanded at a rapid rate as illustrated by the increasing number and quality of scientific publications of various forms on different aspects of agroforestry. Making full and efficient use of this upsurge in scientific agroforestry is both a challenge and an opportunity to the agroforestry scientific community. In order to help prepare themselves better for facing the challenge and seizing the opportunity, agroforestry scientists need access to synthesized information on multi-dimensional aspects of scientific agroforesty. The aim of this new book-series, Advances in Agroforestry, is to offer state-of-the art synthesis of research results and evaluations relating to different aspects of agroforestry. Its scope is broad enough to encompass any and all aspects of agroforestry research and development. Contributions are welcome as well as solicited from competent authors on any aspect of agroforestry. Volumes in the series will consist of reference books, subject-specific monographs, peer-reviewed publications out of conferences, comprehensive evaluations of specific projects, and other book-length compilations of scientific and professional merit and relevance to the science and practice of agroforestry worldwide. Jagdish Chander Dagar Anil Kumar Singh Ayyanadar Arunachalam Editors Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood Security & Ecosystem Services 123 Editors Jagdish Chander Dagar Anil Kumar Singh Ayyanadar Arunachalam Natural Resources Management Indian Council of Agricultural Research New Delhi, Delhi India ISSN 1875-1199 ISSN 1875-1202 (electronic) ISBN 978-81-322-1661-2 ISBN 978-81-322-1662-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1662-9 Springer New Delhi Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2013951504 Ó Springer India 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Foreword Agroforestry has come a long way since its ‘‘reinvention’’ about 35 years ago. Today, it ranks high among the significant land-management initiatives that have been undertaken the world over during the past few decades. Indeed, agroforestry is now recognized as an important approach to ensuring food security and rebuilding resilient rural environments. India has been an all-time leader in agroforestry. The South and Southeast Asia region comprising India is often described as the cradle of agroforestry. Almost all forms of agroforestry systems exist across India in ecozones ranging from humid tropical lowlands to high-altitude and temperate biomes, and perhumid rainforest zones to parched dry- lands. The country ranks foremost among the community of nations not only in terms of this enormous diversity and long tradition of the practice of agroforestry, but also in fostering scientific developments in the subject. Following the ‘‘First National Seminar on Agroforestry’’ in 1979, a head-start in agroforestry research was made in the early 1980s with the launching of an All India Coordinated Research Project on Agroforestry with research and development centers in different parts of the country. Despite this rich and varied experience, the information-base on agroforestry in India is scattered and poorly documented. Other than my respected colleague (the late) Dr. K. G. Tejwani’s 1994 book ‘‘Agroforestry in India,’’ and a scatter of articles, book chapters, and reports, there is no comprehensive database or documentation of agroforestry in India. Little wonder then that agroforestry is not receiving its deserving level of attention and prominence in national development efforts in India, and the breadth and wealth of agroforestry experience in India is little known even within—let alone outside— India. This book containing authoritative accounts of agroforestry in different ecoregions of India represents a bold step forward in fulfilling the long-felt need to fill that void. Having been in constant contact with Dr. J. C. Dagar, the book’s Principal Editor, during various stages of the book’s progression, I am aware of the extent of patient and persistent efforts that have gone into the production of such a multi-authored volume. I congratulate all editors, chapter authors, and others who have been involved in the v vi Foreword project on their splendid accomplishment, and express the global agroforestry community’s gratitude to them for providing such a valu- able contribution to the agroforestry literature. Gainesville, Florida, USA, July 2013 P. K. R. Nair Preface Agroforestry has been the way of life since time immemorial, but the subject is relatively new as a science. Still, India has the distinction of having the longest history of formal agroforestry research in the world. It has come of age during the past three decades when activities and interest in agroforestry research, education, and training have increased tremendously. Its importance has been felt more during the last one decade in the scenario of climate change when perennial farming systems are considered more appropriate and sustainable for livelihood security in general and poor, marginal, and landless farmers in particular. Today, agroforestry is taught at the senior undergraduate and post- graduate levels in many institutes and universities around the world, either as a separate subject or as a part of the regular curricula of agriculture, forestry, ecology, and other related programs. Although several books on the subject have been published during the past few years, there is still no single publication that may be recognized giving detailed description covering all the aspects on the subject. This publication is an effort to make up for this deficiency. The introductory chapter traces the brief history of the development of agroforestry underlying the concepts of the subject, and the very purpose of publication. It is followed by 12 chapters dealing with the majorly practiced systems found in the tropics and temperate regions, especially different agro-climatic regions of India and the recent developments in each of them are discussed in detail. The site-specific systems/practices include edaphic and climatic parameters, ecology, vegetation, site-specificity, and structure and livelihood security of different stakeholders. Important success stories have been highlighted, research gaps have been identified, and the way forward has also been suggested. Finally, in the Synthesis Chapter the gist of the book is given. The important initiatives taken at the level of researchers and policy makers and the way forward for agroforestry research in India have been highlighted. Recent concerns such as agroforestry for ecosystem services, miti- gating climate change, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, value addition, and role in health

Load more