Role of coconut (Cocos nucifera) based agroforestry system in coastal Odisha

Abstract

This paper presents a study carried out in Puri district of Odisha during June 2015 – May 2016 to determine the various role of coconut based agroforestry system in 15 different sizes (0.1 to 1.5 acre) of land holdings. The chosen coconut based agroforestry systems were visited in three cropping seasons such as kharif, rabi and summer and the observations on floral composition, number of common plant species, number of trees, various role of coconut based agroforestry system, contribution of coconut based agroforestry towards fuel and other wood requirement, yield of coconut based agroforestry systems were recorded. There are four different strata in which different perennial species were associated with coconut. The coconut based agroforestry systems of various sizes are playing important role for the household which include productive role, protective and ameliorative role, recreational and educational role as well as developmental role giving various kinds of tangible and intangible benefits starting from food, fodder, fuel etc. to biodiversity conservation with learning ground for children and adding many cultural and religious values. As the natural forest cover is less in coastal Odisha, substantial quantity of fuel wood was found to be derived from homegarden and the contribution of fuel wood production increased with increase of holding size up to 1.2acre.The coconut based agroforestry system of size 0.8 acre was found to be best among the holding sizes studied with regard to various functions.