Horticulture-based Agroforestry Systems for Improved Environmental Quality and Nutritional Security in Indian Temperate Region

Abstract

The temperate region represents 18% of the India’s land area. The region stretches from Arunachal Pradesh in the east up to the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir in the west. Importance of agroforestry can hardly be overemphasized in this region as it caters the local requirement of fuel, fodder, timber, bio-fence, checking soil erosion, etc. Horticulture-based agroforestry in temperate region would be complimentary and supplementary to temperate horticulture which has been documented in this article. The different types of agroforestry having horticulture crops in temperate regions of India have been listed. Agroforestry systems in northeast, western, and central Himalayan states have been discussed. Certain issues in temperate agroforestry such as lack of proper policy regime, knowledge gaps of technical know-how of the existing systems, low yield of the existing systems, lack of efficient utilization of space and time, only few limited tree species that are grown and low adoption of agroforestry systems, small and scattered landholdings, and lack of irrigation facility have been mentioned. Lack of advocacy on agroforestry in temperate regions is restricting its popularity. The chapter covers cold desert areas of the country.