Horti-pasture system for livelihood security

Abstract

The horti-pasture system boosts up the farmers’ income in the event of monsoon failure. The integration of food and fodder crops with fruit plants is more profitable as compared to sole cropping on a long term basis. On the other hand, livestock is a critical component of horti-pastoral system to cope up drought in low rainfall areas. Although, in rainfall dependent systems, sheep and goat play predominant role because sometimes there is total crop failure and small ruminants helps farmers for their livelihood and income generation during the course of this critical period. Horticultural crops are supportive in maintaining nutritional security and livelihood of the farm family during harsh climatic conditions. Apart from this, horti-pasture system provides opportunities not only to prevent further degradation of marginal lands but also garner additional income. This system has potential in achieving food security, arresting land degradation, combating climate vagaries and achieving sustainable evergreen agriculture. Adoption of this system in dry areas increases livelihood security through simultaneous production of food, fodder, and firewood besides increasing the total productivity per unit area of land. The adoption of national agro-forestry policy by government of India in 2014 is expected to improve farm productivity and the livelihood of the small and marginal farmers substantially in the future. Therefore, horti-pasture system assumes a greater significance for sound management of farm productivity, reducing environmental degradation, improving the quality of life of the resource crunch farmers and sustainability in arid and semi-arid zones of Rajasthan.