Assessment of Economic Viability of Different Agroforestry Systems in Giri Catchment, Himachal Pradesh Singh Matber1,*, Gupta B.1, Das Shaon Kr.2, Avasthe R.K.2, Sarvade S.1 1Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni-173 230, HP, India 2ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Sikkim Centre, Tadong, Gangtok-737102 *Corresponding author: matber_singh@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 3 December, 2015. Abstract In Himachal Pradesh, 80 percent of its total population lives in villages. Their economy is depends on agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry. The practice of pure agriculture in HP is sufficient for the inhabitants to sustain only their food requirements but, for other needs peoples are forced to exploit forests. The present investigation was carried out in Giri catchment in located between 30O 33’ 48’’ and 31O16’ 08’’ N latitude and 77O 02’ 32’’ to 77O 38’ 22’’ E longitude in Himachal Pradesh. The net returns from agroforestry systems decreased, though statistically insignificant, in the order agrisilviculture system (277415.00 Rs. ha−l yr−1) > agrisilvihorticulture system (270747.00  ha−l yr−1) > agrihortisilviculture (269033.00 ha−l yr−1) > agrihortisilviculture (225880.30 ha−l yr−1) systems. The benefit-cost ratio in silvipasturesystemwas significantlyhigher(3.34) than allothersystemsand itdecreasedinthe order: S6(2.53) >S4(2.38) > S3(2.17) > S1(2.10) > S1(1.87). Top Keywords Agroforestry system, Himachal Pradesh, net return, benefit-cost ratio. Top |