STRUCTURE, PRODUCTION ATTRIBUTES AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN A TRADITIONAL EXTENSIVE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM IN AN ARID REGION WATERSHED OF INDIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Baorli-Bambore watershed is a small hydrological unit of 870 ha located 39 km west of Jodhpur in arid western Rajasthan. In this area, the watershed management programme began in the year 2000 with water conservation measures like the construction of check dams at suitable location in streams, gully plugging at water eroded sites and the improvement of Khadin (a traditional system of farming with rabi crops grown during the winter season using conserved moisture) to enhance the availability of soil water during the winter cropping season. This study assessed the structure and production of this traditional extensive agroforestry system—essentially based on Prosopis cineraria and the impact of the watershed management programme. The cropland is the nucleus of the system supported by three interacting components, • scattered tree/shrub species on crop fields, • village common property resources (CPRs), and • livestock. Food grains, fodder and fuel wood are the primary products of the system, and are the basis of the livelihoods of the inhabitants. The arable crops provided enough food at a subsistence level and a substantial amount of fodder when the rainfall is normal. In the year of the assessment, the trees and shrubs on crop fields supplied 28% of the total fodder demand. The same trees and shrubs on crop fields provided just under 40% of the total fuelwood demand, with an equal amount coming from extra-territorial sources; the deficit being made up by animal dung. Thirteen percent of the total dung production was burnt, depriving the crop fields of a very significant input for the maintenance of fertility. The tree/shrub component of this watershed has been weakened over the last three decades because agricultural development appeared to be the top priority for farmers—with >90% of the agricultural land under high yielding varieties of crops introduced under the watershed management programme. In this arid and hostile environment, tree planting programmes will not yield for 10–15 years, leaving a prolonged period of deficit in fuelwood and tree fodder, during which the yields of agricultural crops will fall because too little dung is returned to the fields to maintain soil fertility. A more holistic approach to the improvement of livelihoods is needed to sustain the whole traditional agroforestry system within the watershed.