110
S. Deb
rubbing, ploughing, sowing, planting and use of materials like manure, seeds etc.
However, the cost reduces substantially in the next year. The expenditure incurred
was mainly on collection of grass, seeds and harvesting of grasses and maintenance
of pasture. Horti-silvi-pastoral system has proved to be quite beneficial in generating
more income for the farmer especially during off-season when crops are not cultivated. The success of the system largely depends upon the proper selection of fruit
tree species under different agroclimatic conditions to meet various objectives. More
income could be generated if it is integrated with improved breed of mulch animals
(Deb et al. 2009). This system would be more stable if right type of tree and pasture
species are grown together. So management strategies have to be improved for this
system to get the best return.
3 Economic Aspects of Traditional Agroforestry Systems
In terms of economic condition, the system can also be categorized into- Subsistencebased agroforestry system, Semi-commercial agroforestry system and Commercial
agroforestry system. It is observed that Subsistence-based system is practised by the
‘Nyishi’ community of Arunachal Pradesh. Even homegarden practice of Assam also
falls under this category. Basically they adopt this system based on various religious
and social beliefs. Jhum or shifting cultivation of Northeast India also falls under
this category. Simultaneous growing of 15–20 crops in the same field, as mixed
cropping just to fulfil their household needs is the general rule. On the other hand
semi-commercial agroforestry system practised by the ‘Apatanis’ in the high hills of
Arunachal Pradesh. Intensive paddy-cum-pisciculture where fish species like silver
carps, common carps etc. are intermixed with the paddy. They are fulfilling their own
needs and the rest of the products are selling in the market. Commercial agroforestry
system are mostly practised by the ‘Kalitas’ in the plains of Assam, which has been
adopted for commercial purpose and is based on tree crops and livestock population.
Plantation forestry is an important component of the production system and tree
plantations are grown as major cash crops for a range of commercial products that
includes fruits trees like Musa sp, Ananas comosas, Citrus sp. and nut bearing trees
like Areca catechu.
To evaluate the economic feasibility of different agroforestry practices prevailing
in the region, a survey was conducted by using questionnaire in four villages each
from all the study sites, where local farmers are involved in different agroforestry
practices. The results have been summarized in Table 1. Among the five agroforestry
systems studied, total yield was highest in the agri-horti-silvi-piscicultural system and
lowest in the agri-piscicultural system. However, most of the respondents received
their mean annual income from the agroforestry practices irrespective of their financial status. However, the net return was greater in the agri-horti-silvi-piscicultural as
the farmers of that area are hard working and utilize most of their time for the
S. Deb
rubbing, ploughing, sowing, planting and use of materials like manure, seeds etc.
However, the cost reduces substantially in the next year. The expenditure incurred
was mainly on collection of grass, seeds and harvesting of grasses and maintenance
of pasture. Horti-silvi-pastoral system has proved to be quite beneficial in generating
more income for the farmer especially during off-season when crops are not cultivated. The success of the system largely depends upon the proper selection of fruit
tree species under different agroclimatic conditions to meet various objectives. More
income could be generated if it is integrated with improved breed of mulch animals
(Deb et al. 2009). This system would be more stable if right type of tree and pasture
species are grown together. So management strategies have to be improved for this
system to get the best return.
3 Economic Aspects of Traditional Agroforestry Systems
In terms of economic condition, the system can also be categorized into- Subsistencebased agroforestry system, Semi-commercial agroforestry system and Commercial
agroforestry system. It is observed that Subsistence-based system is practised by the
‘Nyishi’ community of Arunachal Pradesh. Even homegarden practice of Assam also
falls under this category. Basically they adopt this system based on various religious
and social beliefs. Jhum or shifting cultivation of Northeast India also falls under
this category. Simultaneous growing of 15–20 crops in the same field, as mixed
cropping just to fulfil their household needs is the general rule. On the other hand
semi-commercial agroforestry system practised by the ‘Apatanis’ in the high hills of
Arunachal Pradesh. Intensive paddy-cum-pisciculture where fish species like silver
carps, common carps etc. are intermixed with the paddy. They are fulfilling their own
needs and the rest of the products are selling in the market. Commercial agroforestry
system are mostly practised by the ‘Kalitas’ in the plains of Assam, which has been
adopted for commercial purpose and is based on tree crops and livestock population.
Plantation forestry is an important component of the production system and tree
plantations are grown as major cash crops for a range of commercial products that
includes fruits trees like Musa sp, Ananas comosas, Citrus sp. and nut bearing trees
like Areca catechu.
To evaluate the economic feasibility of different agroforestry practices prevailing
in the region, a survey was conducted by using questionnaire in four villages each
from all the study sites, where local farmers are involved in different agroforestry
practices. The results have been summarized in Table 1. Among the five agroforestry
systems studied, total yield was highest in the agri-horti-silvi-piscicultural system and
lowest in the agri-piscicultural system. However, most of the respondents received
their mean annual income from the agroforestry practices irrespective of their financial status. However, the net return was greater in the agri-horti-silvi-piscicultural as
the farmers of that area are hard working and utilize most of their time for the