Development and Standardization of an Innovative Scale for Measuring the Socio-Economic Status of Agroforestry Farmers in South Gujarat, India

Abstract

Although trees in the agroforestry system play diverse roles in meeting the food, fodder, wood, and energy requirements of the agrarian community, their multifunctional contribution often remains understudied, especially while assessing the socio-economic status (SES) of farmers. Therefore, we conceptualized, developed, and standardized an instrument to appraise the SES of the farmers who practice agroforestry in semi-arid and sub-humid regions of India. We also determined the consistent performance of the scale by testing the reliability using the test–retest method. We found that the validity of the scale was accepted with a high correlation, confirming the validity and reliability of the new scale. We also prepared certain norms to identify different socioeconomic levels of agroforestry farmers. The scale used 9 major, 14 moderate, and 115 relevant minor indicators to address the dynamism of the SES and the diversification of farming systems. The proposed scale was specially designed and elastic in nature so that it has a wide scope regarding local applicability and utility, such as in multi-farming systems. Hence, this scale might be considered for measuring the SES of farmers who practice agroforestry at cross-regional and national levels.

Evaluating Agroforestry Extension Workers’ Technical and Human Relation Competencies: A Ranked Discrepancy Model Needs Assessment

“…However, as this needs assessment found and as research has discussed, there is often a need for more expertise in agroforestry organizations related to agribusiness topics [31]. Dehmukh et al also make the case that extension organizations must also understand the socioeconomic status of farmers practicing agroforestry [34]. Agroforestry professionals often work with a wide range of trees and agricultural crops [35], with farmers with access to various markets and entrepreneurial possibilities, making it dynamic and innovative [36].…”

Optimizing planting geometries in eucalyptus-based food production systems for enhanced yield and carbon sequestration

“…In agroforestry plantations, the success of integrating crops with tree-based systems hinges on planting geometry and tree density, which strategically influence light, moisture, and nutrient availability. Linear or block planting is a common approach, initially incorporating intercropping for the first 2-3 years to reap benefits such as reduced tree establishment costs, income generation during the unproductive phase, and efficient resource use (Garrity, 1994;Deshmukh et al, 2023). Promoting agroforestry, especially with fast-growing species like eucalyptus, can mitigate climate change impact and build resilient farming communities (Chavan et al, 2023), with eucalyptus being planted in various geometries and densities ranging from 1 m × 1 m to 6 m × 1.5 m, accommodating 999-10,000 trees per hectare.…”