Integrated farming system (IFS) ensures efficient utilization of available farm resources, increases unit productivity and income that are pre-requisite for sustainable livelihood of small and marginal farmers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of four IFS model developed in ~ 1.0 acre area, at ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Nagaland Centre, Jharnapani, Medziphema, Nagaland. The major components in IFS models were agriculture, horticulture, livestock and subsidiary components like fishery, vermicompost, mushroom and azolla. The field crops, vegetables and livestock components were included in IFS model considering topography of land, soil texture and preference for the tribal livelihood. The performance in terms of component wise productivity, profitability, employment generation and sustainability value index (SVI) were evaluated in consecutive three years (2012–2015). The combinations of subsidiary components in agriculture + horticulture + poultry + fishery in IFS model (model–4) gave the highest net returns (Rupees 32040) followed by the model with agriculture + horticulture + fishery + piggery + vermicompost (model 3) with net profits of Rupees 21230. In field crops component, cropping sequence of ricetoria- mungbean system was found to be the best in terms of productivity among the tested IFS models except in model 1. In terms of employment generation, IFS model-4 has shown maximum man-days engagement (395 days), followed by 350 days in model-3. Based on sustainability values index (SI) derived from different IFS models, maximum SVI values was recorded in model-4 (0.71) followed by model-3 (0.47). Therefore, the intensification of IFS model with crop, horticulture, fishery and livestock or poultry should be popularized among the small and marginal farmers on a larger scale, as it provide scope for higher returns, year round employment and sustainable livelihood in longer perspectives of Eastern Himalayas.

IntroductionIndia’s north-eastern hill region (NEH) is one of the biodiversity hotspots, inhabited by several tribal communities still maintaining their traditional food habits. Much of their food resources are drawn from wild sources.Materials and methodsFourteen species of wild edible plants of high ethnic importance were collected from remote localities of Nagaland and Meghalaya states of the NEH region of India for nutritional profiling. Nutritional profiling of leaves of six species comprising Gynura cusimbua, Garcinia cowa, Herpetospermum operculatum, Plukenetia corniculata, Trichodesma khasianum, and Elatostemma sessile is conducted first time under present study. Samples were analyzed as per the Official Method of Analysis (AOAC) and standard methods.Results and discussionThe range of variation in proximate composition was observed for moisture (72–92%), protein (1.71–6.66%), fat (0.22–1.36%), dietary fibre (5.16–14.58%), sugar (0.30–3.41%), and starch (0.07–2.14%). The highest protein content (6.66%) was recorded in Herpetospermum operculatum, followed by Trichodesma khasianum (5.89%) and Plukenetia corniculata (5.27%). Incidentally, two of these also have high iron (>7.0 mg/100 g) and high zinc (>2.0 mg/100 g) contents, except Trichodesma khasianum, which has low zinc content. High antioxidant activities in terms of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) by the cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method ranged from 1.10 to 8.40 mg/100 g, and by the Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method ranged from 0.10 to 1.9 mg/100 g, while phenol content ranged between 0.30 and 6.00 mg/100 g. These wild vegetables have high potential because of their nutritional properties and are fully capable of enhancing sustainability and improving ecosystem services. Efforts were also initiated to mainstream these resources, mainly for widening the food basket of native peoples.

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Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.), an important medicinal and aromatic rhizomatous spice crop has potential for improving the livelihood of hill farmers. A participatory field study was conducted in 35 farmers' field of Mawthei village (25°44’18.57” N, 91°58’27.89” E and elevation of 1000-1200 m amsl) of Meghalaya to identify a sustainable ginger based intercropping system to improve income of the resource poor hill farmers. Results indicated that fresh rhizome weight was the highest in ginger as sole crop (208 g/plant) which was at par with ginger + soybean, ginger + maize + French bean and ginger + groundnut intercropping systems. Ginger + maize + French bean + pumpkin system recorded the highest Ginger Equivalent Yield (GEY, 9.24 t/ha), i.e. 15.20% higher than sole ginger crop yield. Maximum Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was obtained in ginger + maize + French bean (2.63) followed by ginger + maize + French bean + pumpkin (2.57) system. The highest net returns were recorded with ginger + maize + French bean + pumpkin (₹ 3.36 lakh/ha) followed by ginger + maize + French bean (₹ 3.17 lakh/ha) systems. The intercropping of ginger + groundnut recorded highest benefit cost ratio (3.42), followed by ginger + pumpkin and ginger + maize + French bean. Thus, adoption of ginger + maize + French bean + pumpkin and ginger + maize + French bean intercropping systems may help in improving the economic conditions of the hill farmers in eastern Himalayas.

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The eastern Himalayas, one of the important hotspots of global biodiversity, have a rich diversity of wild edible fruit trees. The fruits of these tree species have been consumed by the tribal people since time immemorial. However, there is limited information available on the biochemical and antioxidant properties of the fruits. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the physico-chemical and antioxidant properties of the nine most important wild fruit trees. Among the species, Pyrus pashia had the maximum fruit weight (37.83 g), while the highest juice (43.72%) and pulp content (84.67%) were noted in Haematocarpus validus and Myrica esculenta, respectively. Maximum total soluble solids (18.27%), total sugar (11.27%), moisture content (88.39%), ascorbic acid content (63.82 mg/100 g), total carotenoids (18.47 mg/100 g), and total monomeric anthocyanin (354.04 mg/100 g) were recorded in H. validus. Docynia indica had the highest total phenolic content (19.37 mg GAE/g), while H. validus recorded the highest total flavonoids and flavanol content. The antioxidant activities of the different fruits ranged from 0.17 to 0.67 IC50 for DPPH activity and 3.59–13.82 mg AAE/g for FRAP. These fruits had attractive pigmentation of both pulp and juice and were a good potential source for the extraction of natural edible color in the food industry. The fruits also possess high market prices; Prunus nepalensis fetched $ 34.10–$ 141.5 per tree. Therefore, these fruits are rich sources of antioxidants, pigments and have a high market value for livelihood and nutritional security.

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