Grassland and agroforestry

38 Pages·2009·10.02 MB·English

Grassland and agroforestry:
Technical and policy issues in
relation to soil carbon sequestration,
particularly in-terms of potential for
incorporating in reformed CDM
V.P.Singh,
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Regional Office
for South Asia, New Delhi, and
JVNS Prasad,
Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture,
Hyderabad, India
Grassland:
A grassland is basically a terrestrial vegetation without trees and
shrubs. Grasslands occur where trees / shrubs will not grow:
Too dry desert grasslands – trees need ? 400 mm pa
Too wet swamp grasslands (or if seasonal – floodplain
grasslands)
Too cold alpine /Himalayan grasslands – trees do not
like frost in germination
Too “hot” where annual fires suppress woody
regeneration
Too shallow Trees need some soil

Seeded and managed grasslands
Pastoralists and Rangelands
Pastoralism and ecological situations in India.
1.
Pastoralism Types:
a) Pure mobile nomadism at one extreme, Shepherds in dry Gujarat,
Rajasthan.
b) Transhumance on altitudinal moves, Buffalo and Gujars, sheep
c) Seasonal defined movements, Common in many states, eg sheep in
Maharashtra.
d) Use of Reserve Forest /WLS Range Resources, from small
homesteads; eg Sariska, Kanha,
e) Burning floodplain grasses, eg. Assam and following fires and flood
recessions

Supply and demand of green and dry fodder in India (in million tons)
Year Supply Demand Deficit
Green Dry Green Dry Green Dry
2005 389.9 443 1025 569 61.96 22.08
2010 395.2 451 1061 589 62.76 23.46
2015 400.6 466 1097 609 63.50 23.56
2020 405.9 473 1134 630 64.21 24.81
2025 411.3 488 1170 650 64.87 24.92
Projected gap between the demand and supply of green and dry fodder presents a
challenge and increases pressure on the existing grasslands and degraded forest
lands enormously, in the coming years.
Agroforestry – An old practice, but
a new science
Agroforestry can
contribute to resolving
major development
problems.
Agroforestry can
contribute to resolving
global environmental
problems.
Woody Perennials
Crops
Agroforestry Systems
Pastures
Animals