5. Conclusions
The results of this study suggest
that agroforestry practice could be an appropriate strategy in the
context of changing climate and economy in the farm-based economy.
First, an agroforestry practice demands less labour compared to
conventional agriculture practice. Adopting agroforestry may help to
maintain the rural economy since the young population is out-migrating
and the rural area is facing a short supply of labour. Besides, the
agroforestry system is preferred by households having an off-farm income
source. This suits the existing rural context as rural economy is in the
transition towards monetized transactions due to outmigration for
employment.
Agroforestry is a good source of fuelwood and fodder for livestock.
Livestock raising is an integral part of Nepalese farming. The general
assumption is that the farmers who live far from the forest tend to
raise trees on their farmlands. Our finding reinforced this assumption.
The reason for the distant farmers tending towards agroforestry adoption
is that they would otherwise have to allocate a huge amount of time
mostly every day for fuelwood and fodder collection from the forest. Not
only the time saving, it has also contributed to forest conservation by
reducing pressure on the forest.
The results also suggest that agroforestry is not a favourable option
for smallholders as it is more likely to be adopted by large farmers.
Collective farming through a cooperative approach might be a positive
and practical step to engage smallholders in agroforestry promotion. As
agroforestry gained attention in the international climate change
policy, it could be an attractive option as a part of the mitigation
strategy. The study clearly indicates that access to information may
contribute to promote agroforestry practice, which requires intensive
extension services.