The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council has recommended
formulation of a national agroforestry policy, which provides for
support price for farm-grown trees and other produce.
The Council has also suggested using agroforestry or tree-based farming as a means to mitigate climate change through micro-climate moderation and conservation of natural resources as well as carbon sequestration.
The Working Group on Agroforestry, chaired by Ashis Mondal, noted that there was no specific scheme to promote agroforestry in the country and made a strong pitch for having an overarching common national policy framework. The Ministry of Agriculture, helmed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, has the mandate of agroforestry.
However, with agriculture falling within the domain of the state governments and forestry being on the concurrent list, the Council has suggested “enhanced coordination” among all stakeholders to take agroforestry to a higher level and sustain it.
Pawar has not shown the same enthusiasm as Congress leaders in considering the recommendations of the Council.
It has asked the Centre to consider launching the national policy on agroforestry during the World Congress on Agroforestry scheduled to be held in Delhi in February next year.
It also wanted the government to create simple and uniform mechanism to regulate the felling and transit of agroforestry produce within the state.
Contending that the marketing system for agroforestry produce – timber, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants – was unorganised, the Council wanted the government to consider introducing marketing infrastructure as in the case of agricultural commodities, with more private sector participation.
“Support price and buy back guarantee for farm grown trees and other produce should be considered,” it said.
The Council also suggested industry participation in areas such as production and supply chain development for high quality planting material.
Main agroforestry systems in the country include poplar based commercial agroforestry in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh, coffee plantations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, tea cultivation in Assam, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and woodlot in southern states, including Karnataka.
The Council has also suggested using agroforestry or tree-based farming as a means to mitigate climate change through micro-climate moderation and conservation of natural resources as well as carbon sequestration.
The Working Group on Agroforestry, chaired by Ashis Mondal, noted that there was no specific scheme to promote agroforestry in the country and made a strong pitch for having an overarching common national policy framework. The Ministry of Agriculture, helmed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, has the mandate of agroforestry.
However, with agriculture falling within the domain of the state governments and forestry being on the concurrent list, the Council has suggested “enhanced coordination” among all stakeholders to take agroforestry to a higher level and sustain it.
Pawar has not shown the same enthusiasm as Congress leaders in considering the recommendations of the Council.
It has asked the Centre to consider launching the national policy on agroforestry during the World Congress on Agroforestry scheduled to be held in Delhi in February next year.
It also wanted the government to create simple and uniform mechanism to regulate the felling and transit of agroforestry produce within the state.
Contending that the marketing system for agroforestry produce – timber, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants – was unorganised, the Council wanted the government to consider introducing marketing infrastructure as in the case of agricultural commodities, with more private sector participation.
“Support price and buy back guarantee for farm grown trees and other produce should be considered,” it said.
The Council also suggested industry participation in areas such as production and supply chain development for high quality planting material.
Main agroforestry systems in the country include poplar based commercial agroforestry in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh, coffee plantations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, tea cultivation in Assam, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and woodlot in southern states, including Karnataka.
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