Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T2-07R-1128
Quantification of Ecosystem Services from Multifunctional Agroforestry
Established for Family Farming in Tamil Nadu
A. Keerthika 1 , K.T. Parthiban 2 , A.K. Shukla 1 , R.S. Mehta 1 , M.B. Noor Mohamed 1 and
Kamla K Choudhary 1
1 ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Pali Marwar, Rajasthan
(RJ), India - 306 401
2 Forest College and Research Institute, TNAU, Mettupalayam, India - 641 301
lathikaconifers@gmail.com
Agroforestry has witnessed challenges and changes every decade in the form of technology
and marketing interventions. Although agroforestry is promoted for meeting food and
nutritional security, it became the need of the hour to promote multifunctional agroforestry
with the main focus on small-scale farmers to provide income throughout the year. Moreover,
this multifunctional agroforestry has gained attraction recently because of nutritional and
food security issues as committed in sustainable development goals (SDG).
Methodology
The experiment was carried out during 2018-2021 and is located at sylvan surroundings of
the foothills of the Nilgiris perched at an altitude of 300 m (11°19’33ꞌꞌ N, 76°56ꞌ16ꞌꞌE).
Multifunctional agroforestry model (MFA)’ was developed at Forest College and Research
Institute, Mettupalayam, Tamil Nadu, India especially designed based on the concept of
family farming and more specifically for small farmers. The designed MFA model comprises
of 25 tree species and 08 intercrops covering 0.75 acre. It is unique model designed in a
circular shape which is delineated to provide separate importance to each circle viz., high
valued tree circle, timber circle, plywood circle, medicinal plants, fruits circle and moringa
circle. The entire multifunctional agroforestry was divided into four equal quadrats. The
spacing between each circle is of five meter and each quadrat has different intercrops.
Quadrat I is of flower block (Jasminum grandiflorum, Jasminum officinale), quadrat II is of
vegetable bock (crop selection differs for kharif and rabi), quadrat III comprises curry leaf
(Murraya koeingii) and Nerium oleander, quadrat IV is of fodder grass block i.e., Guinea
grass (Megathyrsus maximus) and Desmanthus (Desmanthus virgatus).Under this
multifunctional model, ecosystem services were quantifiedi.e.,1.Provisioning services (food,
fodder, fruits, timber, medicinal plants): Quantification was done in Kilograms and local
market price was used for economic valuation. 2. Regulating services (Carbon sequestration):
Non-destructive method was used and the carbon price of $4 (Neya et al., 2020) was used to
calculate carbon revenue. Supporting services (Butterflies): Diversity of butterflies was
estimated using Pollard walk method (Pollard and Yates, 1993). 4. Cultural services: two sets
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Ecosystem based approaches for climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, integrated farming system models,
Land degradation neutrality