Page 140 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

home garden occupy 4-5 strata. Lowest strata constituting less than 1m height contained 14% of total canopy
volume, 2 layer 1-2 m (9%), 3 layer 2-5m (25%), 4 layer 5-10 m (36%) and 5 >10 m (16%). Herbaceous
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species form the layer near the ground. The upper layers are occupied by trees, while intermediate layer in
between shared by medium sized trees, mostly fruit and medicinal trees. Quiet often, the lower layer may
be partitioned to less than 1 m– dominated by vegetables and medicinal plants, while second layer constitute
food plant such as cassava, banana, papaya, yam and so on. The intermediate layers of 3-10 m height are
dominated by various fruit trees- this layer is not structurally static- always dynamic. The upper tree layer
divided to two viz. emergent fully grown timber and fruit trees occupying the uppermost layer (25 m height),
medium sized trees of 10-20 m occupying the next lower layer.

Functional attributes

The prominent attribute of homegardens is their high functional diversity that has evolved over
generations of crop intensification. The list of direct benefits accrued from homegardens are large that include
food, fuel, fodder, fruits, timber, pulp, green manure etc. Food production function is recognized as the most
important one from homegardens especially at subsistence level. Various food products include edible fruits,
nuts, grain, rhizomes and tubers, leaves, flowers to name a few. Homegardening being an agricultural practice
at low or moderate input level, the produce are ecologically safe and hence contribute to the social health and
hygiene.

Fruit and other food trees constitute predominant component of all homegardens (Nair, 1993). Mango,
guava, papaya, rambutan, mangosteen and other food producing trees such as Moringa oleifera and Sesbania
grandiflora, spice crops such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg dominate the Asian homegardens. Torquebiau
(1992) in a review observed that dietary supplies from homegardens accounted for 3% to 44% of the total
calorie and 4% to 32% of the protein intake. Homegardens function as a buffer source of food ensuring
food security during the lean seasons. Nutritional security is another area where homegardens considerably
contribute (Asfaw and Woldu 1997; Galhena et al. 2013). Year round availability of many high nutritional
value crops takes care of the nutritive requirements (proteins, vitamins, and minerals) of the family.

In addition, homegardens provide enumerable products and services which are closely linked with the
household needs of the farmer. For instance, they are potential source of wood and small timber for meeting
the farmer requirements. Kumar et al. (1994) observed that the average standing stock of commercial timber
in the Kerala, India homegardens has been estimated to range from 6.6 to 50.8 m ha . Homegardens are
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also good source of non-timber products such as bamboo. Studies on the standing stock of thorny bamboo
(Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss) in the homegardens in three districts of Kerala, India suggest substantial stocking
to the tune of 28,659 Mg (Thrissur), 124, 389 Mg (Palakkad), and 86, 267 Mg (Malappuram) on dry weight
basis (Kumar et al, 2005; Kumar, 2008). Also, tropical homegardens function as predominant supplier of
biofuels for rural households (Krishnankutty, 2008; Wickramasinghe, 1996; Levasseur and Olivier, 2000;
Shanavas and Kumar, 2003; Kumar and Nair, 2004). For example, reports suggest about 51% to 90% of
the domestic fuelwood needs in south and Southeast Asia is met from homegardens (Krishnankutty, 2008;
Torquebiau, 1992).

Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 121