Mizo Homegardens promote biodiversity conservation, nutritional security and environmental development in northeast India

Abstract

Homegardens (HGs) are dynamic agroforestry systems that ensure food and nutritional security and environmental protection. In northeast India where shifting cultivation (SC) is still prevailing in large scale, HGs offer a viable solution to SC, however, there is limited information on the potential of these systems to improve the landscape, meet the households' daily requirements. Forty two HGs were surveyed to study species diversity, their variation across developmental stages (age), and ability to provide resilience to food shortage and health. The results showed that all HGs irrespective of their age are biodiverse-rich systems showing diversity (H) from 3.765 to 4.245 (tree), 2.803 to 3.65 (shrub), and 3.13 to 3.925 (herb). A higher proportion of species was found occupied height > 6 m at old HG (OHG) while in young HG (YHG) major proportion of species were at low height (0–1 m). Though the species diversity showed weak relationship with HG age, association of diverse species was as per the household requirements. Based on the structure and function six HG groups were recognized; group II showed highest species diversity while group III, V and VI were mainly subsistence oriented. The results showed soil conditions improved with an increase in HG age. All HGs provided a varying degree of nutritional and food security to the households, a most important characteristic for sustaining livelihood under political isolation and economic blockade and land-locked situations. The study concludes that Mizo HGs can be a viable alternative to SC in providing regular income and therefore promotion of HGs can enhance socio-ecological, economic development, and further combats climate change impacts in this region and/or other regions of India having similar eco-regions.