POTENTIAL OF HORTICULTURE CROPS AND TREES IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN INDIA

Abstract

Agroforestry is a branch of science of a combined farming system of trees, crops, and animals on the same unit of land. Horticulture / tree-based agroforestry has been proven as an important tool for crop diversification. Tree and vegetable combination is new horticulture-based alley cropping system which are maintains higher output and also boosts the economic status of the farmers, improves farmers livelihood on a sustainable basis, and provide employment throughout year. The horticulture-based alley cropping systems (agroforestry) combine perennial woody crops and non-woody crops, the vegetables are managed spatially to achieve both economic and environmental benefits of the farming system. The selection of crops is depending upon various factors like agro-climatic and edaphic conditions, crop root system, and water and nutrient requirement pattern and above-ground growth habits. There are several agroforestry systems based on fruit trees is practiced in whole part of the country according to local conditions. Fruit tree-based agroforestry system has significant roles in the livelihood improvement and it provides several ways to the income generation of household and supplementary food for smallholder farmers. These systems not only provide fruits but also fulfil the timber, food, fuel, and fodder requirement. Besides, they also generate employment, provide nutritional security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improvement on soil health and provide sustainable economic improvement of farmers.