Study on farmers preferences for multipurpose tree species of Bundelkhand Region (U.P.).
Anil Kumar, Dhanai C. S., Virendra Kumar, Dwivedi R. P.
Author Affiliation: Department of Agroforestry, Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India.
Progressive Research 2 : 43-46
Abstract : This study was conducted to: (i) examine the socioeconomic profile of farmers; (ii) determine the preferences of farmers among trees and fruit trees in agroforestry; and (iii) to find out their preferred location for tree planting and their problems in adopting agroforestry. The data were gathered by administering a specially developed interview schedule among 90 farmers in three purposefully selected villages, viz., Barel, Tola Rawat and Mushkara Khurd in Rath block of Hamirpur District, Uttar Pradesh, India, in March 2006. An advance pilot study was conducted on the third week of March 2006 before the actual interview. Results showed that majority (76.6%) of the farmers are literate, with an average of 9.72 family members, and own 2.14 ha of land. It was revealed that farmers prefer shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), followed by teak (Tectona grandis), babul (Acacia nilotica), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.), and neem (Azadirachta indica). Further, fruit trees Mangifera indica is the most preferred by farmers followed by guava (Psidium guajava) and aonla (Phyllanthus emblica).