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Agroforestry Can Help Small Farmers in Vidarbha Earn More and Restore Their Land

Agroforestry Can Help Small Farmers in Vidarbha Earn More and Restore Their Land
Agroforestry Can Help Small Farmers in Vidarbha Earn More and Restore Their Land

When farmers in semi-arid parts of Vidarbha prepare their land each year, most sow cotton or soybean with little expectation of change.


For decades, limited rainfall, poor soil and lack of market options have made these crops the default choice. Tree planting has remained rare, despite its potential to provide long-term income and improve soil and water conditions.


The central government now wants to change this with a renewed push for agroforestry, and its success in Vidarbha may depend on how effectively this idea reaches the smallest landholders.


The National Agroforestry Policy and its supporting schemes like the Sub-Mission on Agroforestry aim to support tree-based farming systems across India.

They offer subsidies for planting material, encourage the creation of nurseries, and aim to connect farmers to markets. Vidarbha, with its history of agrarian distress, presents a different kind of challenge.


The region’s climate, landholding patterns and soil conditions require a customised approach, especially for marginal farmers whose plots rarely exceed two hectares.


If implemented well, agroforestry can reduce economic risk, provide additional income, and improve the resilience of the land and the people who depend on it.



Farming Under Pressure in Semi-Arid Vidarbha


Vidarbha’s landscape, covering eastern Maharashtra, receives between 800 and 1,100 millimetres of rainfall annually, most of it during the monsoon months.


Despite the relatively average rainfall, agriculture in districts like Akola, Buldhana and Yavatmal is largely rain-dependent. In multiple surveys conducted across the region, over 80 percent of the farmland was found to be without any irrigation source. Crop failures due to dry spells are common.

Cotton and soybeans dominate the cropping pattern. In many areas, farmers sow across the entire kharif season and hope for returns that often do not materialise. Only about 20 percent of farmers manage to plant a second crop during the rabi season, and that too on less than 11 percent of the cultivated land.


The rest lies fallow, with poor soil health and reduced fertility caused by repeated cultivation of demanding crops like Bt cotton.



Nearly two-thirds of the farming population in Vidarbha falls into the small or marginal category.


With an average landholding of 5.8 acres or less, these farmers often face multiple barriers such as fragmented plots, degraded soils, high input costs, and little institutional support.

Many are from historically disadvantaged groups. Access to finance remains poor, and most public schemes do not differentiate between large and small farmers. For these households, switching from short-term crops to tree-based systems requires not just technical knowledge, but also upfront investment and time.


Government Support Still Misses the Smallest Farmers

Government Support Still Misses the Smallest Farmers for Agroforestry
Government Support Still Misses the Smallest Farmers for Agroforestry

India’s push for agroforestry formally began with the National Agroforestry Policy in 2014. It promotes the integration of trees with crops and livestock to boost productivity and reduce environmental degradation.


The Sub-Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF), now part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, supports the creation of nurseries, offers cost-sharing mechanisms, and provides incentives for farmers to grow trees like bamboo, fruit plants and fodder varieties.


While SMAF allows for small-scale implementation, its benefits are not always accessible to marginal farmers. The application process requires documentation, awareness, and coordination with nodal agencies, resources that many rural households do not have.


In Maharashtra, tree planting is also supported under MGNREGA, which covers tasks like trenching and bunding. But in practice, few farmers use MGNREGA for agroforestry purposes. State-level efforts exist, like the Forest Department’s farm forestry loans, but the reach is often limited to larger landowners.


Small farmers frequently choose fast-growing exotic trees like eucalyptus because they are promoted by private sapling dealers and promise quick returns. However, such species can deplete water tables and reduce biodiversity.


Native trees that are more sustainable often require longer gestation periods and are not widely available in the commercial nursery network. The lack of access to quality planting material and market support further reduces the likelihood of adoption.


Local Success Stories and Models That Work


Models from across India have shown that agroforestry can work, even in drought-prone regions, if the approach is community-led and supported through training and infrastructure.


In Haryana, farmers have successfully combined poplar trees with wheat, doubling their incomes through timber sales.


In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, dryland farmers have grown mango or tamarind alongside traditional crops under projects like the WADI programme. These systems provide fruit after three to five years while offering a sustainable source of income and nutrition.


Closer to Maharashtra, some farmers in the state have integrated fodder trees on field bunds to support dairy activities.

These silvopastoral systems have increased milk production during dry months by ensuring a steady supply of green fodder. In Assam and Manipur, mixed agroforestry systems that include bamboo, fruits, and medicinal plants have helped conserve soil and increase harvest diversity.



These models share common features: appropriate tree species, consistent extension services, access to markets, and often, the support of farmer collectives or NGOs. The success is not tied to large holdings, but to coordinated support and access to resources.


To make agroforestry viable for small farmers in Vidarbha, specific interventions are needed. Financing is one of the primary hurdles.


Credit products tailored for tree-based farming, along with insurance for trees and long-gestation crops, can give farmers the confidence to invest.

Schemes must be restructured to allow smaller plots to qualify for support without complex paperwork or unrealistic conditions.


Training is equally critical. Krishi Vigyan Kendras and other agricultural extension services can play a role in demonstrating agroforestry systems on the ground.


Mobile-based advisories, community-led training sessions, and peer-to-peer learning can help fill the information gap.


Establishing community nurseries run by Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) or Self-Help Groups can improve the availability of high-quality saplings. These nurseries should stock species suitable for the local climate, such as custard apple, ber, mango, neem, gliricidia and babul. Avoiding water-intensive exotics is essential for long-term sustainability.


Market access must be built into the plan. FPOs can be involved in the collective marketing of fruit, timber, fodder, or even leaves and bark where traditional medicine markets exist.

Some farmer groups could tie up with local processors, paper mills or dairies to create forward linkages. In areas where industrial demand is limited, government procurement schemes or Minimum Support Prices for select tree products can offer price security.


Finally, integrating agroforestry into existing soil and water conservation programmes can reduce the cost of adoption.



Saplings can be planted along trench lines or on degraded field bunds. In areas under watershed development, tree-based systems can be prioritised to restore soil health and recharge groundwater.


While individual efforts matter, coordinated action is more effective. NGOs with experience in watershed or forestry programmes can help organise farmers, run nurseries and monitor survival rates.


Public-private partnerships with processing companies or CSR initiatives can supply planting material and ensure off-take. Creating a district-level platform for agroforestry that includes government officials, scientists, farmer groups, and private players can speed up the process.

Tree planting cannot replace seasonal crops, but it can complement them. For farmers with small landholdings and limited income, growing a combination of native trees alongside food crops offers the chance to build an asset over time. It changes the equation from surviving one season to planning for five years or more.


Agroforestry is not new, but its adoption among marginal farmers has always been low because support systems have failed to reach them. In Vidarbha, where the same land grows cotton today and lies fallow tomorrow, agroforestry offers a realistic option for long-term income and land restoration.


Making it work will depend not just on policy, but on creating the infrastructure and trust required for smallholders to plant their first sapling.



References




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