Agroforestry Principles And Practices

With reference to India.

Agroforestry is now recommended as a core subject in the curriculum of undergraduate courses of forestry, horticulture and agriculture. Keeping the needs of the students in mind this book has been written. Besides fulfilling curriculum requirements of the students, it will also help them to prepare for various competitive examinations. The plant lovers may also find this book worth reading. This book has been divided into twenty chapters covering all aspects of agroforestry including concepts, systems classifications, soil productivity, tree-crop interaction, watershed and wasteland management through agroforestry, climate change adaptation and mitigation, carbon sequestration, urban agroforestry, agroforestry design & diagnosis, economics and extension of agroforestry.

Evolution of agroforestry in the last three decades has seen a major shift from emphasis on land productivity at farm level to systems interactions at landscape level. In simplest language, agroforestry is the production of trees and of non-tree crops or animals on the same piece of land. The crops can be grown together at the same time, can be grown in rotation, or can even be grown in separate plots when materials from one are used to benefit another. Agroforestry systems provide both local and global ecosystem services. Agroforestry is hypothetically important for improving the livelihoods of the majority of people, predominantly rural communities, through enhanced food security, primary health care and the leading source of fuel energy. Essentially, the system has increasingly become a focal entry point for rural development, environmental stewardship including climate change adaptation and mitigation, and ecosystem sustainability through transformation of livelihoods and landscapes. Agroforestry: Principles and Practices covers design principles and management practices of agroforestry practices and their impact on biodiversity and the ecosystem services. Abundant information is given on how to establish agroforestry, and how to manage it to increase farm yield. It explores the role of agroforestry in providing commodity as well non-commodity benefits such as ecosystem services. Investigations of a fundamental or applied nature dealing with integrated systems involving trees and crops and/or livestock are delivered. It also recognizes policy issues for facilitating adoption of desirable agroforestry practices and gradual diminution of undesirable policies. Mainstreaming agroforestry policy is essential to bring it to an even playing field. Knowing the science and factors that control the adoption, of agroforestry and how they impact the portrayal of agroforestry is enormously important.

The origin of agroforestry practices, i.e. growing trees and shrubs with food and fruit crops and grasses is traditional and very old; but the science of agroforestry is new. Years of experience and experiments have shown that agroforestry as a land-use system is capable of yielding both food and wood and at the same time helps in conserving and rehabilitating the ecosystems. It has the capability to increase the overall productivity of land, maintain the nutrient balance in the soil and above all protect the nature. In the recent years, agroforestry has been recommended as a core subject in the curriculum of B. Sc. (Forestry) and B. Sc. (Agriculture) courses of the state agricultural universities. Keeping this in view, the book on has been written for the students. The common people, who love trees, would also find it worth reading. The book has been divided into sixteen s covering very comprehensive information on all aspects of agroforestry including history, concepts, classification, management, soil productivity, tree-crop interactions, multipurpose trees and their propagation, agroforestry for different agroclimatic zones, watershed and wasteland management through agroforestry, climate change adaptation and mitigation, diagnosis & design, experimental analysis, benefits and limitations, economics and extension of agroforestry. Definitions of agroforestry terminology, selected references and related web links are also added for the easy understanding and further study on the subject.

This textbook is one of the finest books on agroforestry that offers a global review of the approaches, tools and technologies, research innovations and real-world practices in agroforestry. The book offers a comprehensive guide to basic principles, techniques and applications, integrative strategies, economic and environmental concerns, and future trends in agroforestry in different regions of the world. It will help all scientists, students, professors, farmers, foresters, decision-makers, and politicians who wish to build a safe land use system for food, energy and better environment for future generations. This textbook will enormously benefit the students for their preparation of competitive exams like UPSC-Civil Services, UPSC-Indian Forest Service, ICAR-ARS Scientist/NET Exam, ICFRE Forestry Scientist Exam, State Public Service Commission Exams and University Entrance Exam for admission to M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes.

Organic animal production has increased rapidly in recent years to keep up with the increasing consumer demand for organic meats. There are many guidelines and restrictions on what should go into the feedstuffs of organically farmed animals, from which difficulties arise when trying to ensure a well-balanced, nutritious diet without the use of any supplements. The book has been completely updated and revised to address how to formulate organic diets in situations where there is a declining supply of organic feed, as well as the feasibility of utilizing novel feedstuffs and their acceptability by consumers of organic meat products. Including the experiences of producers in relation to appropriate breeds and production systems for forage-based organic production, this book is an important read for researchers and students of organic food animal production, veterinary sciences and food; as well as food industry personnel and organic farmers.