Fruit-based agroforestry systems for food security and higher profitability Halli Shivaputra Bammana*, Swamy KR1, Sankanur Mahantappa2, Yewale Alok3 Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India 1Department of Farm Science, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dhaward-580005, Karnataka, India 2Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, College of Forestry Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari-349450, Gujarat, India 3KVK, VCSGUUHF, Ranichauri, Tehri Garhwal-249199, Uttarakhand, India *Email forcorrespondence: bshivaputra@gmail.com
Online published on 25 July, 2018. Abstract The fruit-based agroforestry system comprises of a combination of perennial (fruit trees) and annual plant species as different components in the same piece of land arranged in a geometry that facilitates maximum utilization of space in four dimensions (length, width, height and depth) leading to maximum economic productivity of the system. This agroforestry system contributes products as well as services some of which have economic potential as cash crops and are also highly adaptable and applicable to a wide area and range of physical and social conditions worldwide. Because of the relatively short juvenile (pre-production) phase of fruit trees, fruits have high market value of their products and the contribution of fruits to household dietary and nutrition hence this system enjoys high popularity among resource limited producers worldwide and provides the subsistence to farmers and appreciable amount of economic returns even under unfavourable agro-ecological situations. This system has diverse products (fruits, vegetables, spices etc) which are available year-round in systems like home gardens and not only contribute to food security during the lean seasons but also ensure food diversity. Top Keywords Agroforestry, productivity, spatial arrangement, agri-silviculture, home garden. Top |