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	Technology- VII : Horti-pastoral model for higher income in rainfed ecosystem

Dimension:
Hortipasture system integrates pasture (grass and /or legumes) and fruit trees to fulfill the gap between demand and supply of fruit, fodder and fuel wood through utilizing moderately degraded land. IGFRI has developed Aonla and Guava based hortipasture systems for higher productivity. The range grasses used in the system are Cenchrus ciliaris, Stylosanthes seabrana and Stylosanthes hamata.

Target area:
Well suited for poor soil with soil depth of 80-150 cm and annual rainfall of 700-800 mm.

Impact:
During a period of 10 years it gives B:C ratio of 4-6 and supports 2-3 ACU/ha in a year. The technology is gaining acceptance among rainfed farmers in Bundelkhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka region and area is increasing in fruits particularly ber, aonla guava , sapota etc. The arable farming on degraded land in the country is difficult due to soil and moisture constraint. Guava, ber, aonla etc based Horti-pasture systems developed at IGFRI have good production potential of forage from 6.5-12t DM/ha on degraded land of rainfed areas. Horti-pasture systems can serve the purposes of forage, fruit, fuel wood and ecosystem conservation along with arresting the soil loss and conserve moisture. After a long rotation it improves the soil fertility and microbial activities. This system supports 2-4 ACU /year. This technology is being disseminated with farmers under NICRA, Adarsh Chara Gram, Farmers of different state with KVKs under NIFTD programme (National Initiative on fodder technology demonstration), joint forest management and social forestry, NGOs, Gaushalas , etc.

States suitable for adoption of this technology:
A.P., Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Telangana, Utarakhand, Bundelkhand part of M.P and U.P. Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, H.P. and J&K, etc.

Establishment cost of the system:
40,000-50,000/ha.

B:C ratio: Over the period of 10 years:
4-6

Forage production:
7-12 t Dry Matter /ha/year

ACU supports:
2-4/year

Technology package (Horti-pastoral model for higher income in rainfed ecosystem)

Time of pit preparation	Spacing	Size of pits	Planting of trees & grasses	Fertilizer to grass	Life saving Irrigation	Harvesting of Pasture	Harvesting of fruit
During May- June to expose the soil and pits to heat for disinfection	6 x 6 m	1 m3	One year old grafted fruit plants of improved cultivars planted in the center of pits. Rooted slips of grasses planted at 50cm x 50 cm under the interspaces of plantations and legume sown in line between 2 rows of grasses.	30 Kg N, 20 Kg P and 20 kg K /ha. Application of Nitrogen in to split during July and August	Initial 2 year- as and when required (from April – onset of monsoon)	Harvesting of pasture 2-3 time(From September to December) as per monsoon and growth of pasture. Always follow cut and carry system.	In grafted plant fruiting started 3 year in Guava and 4th year in Aonla. Aonla harvested -Mid December – mid January. Guava harvested -Mid January –end of February.