Guwahati: As part of the Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) Program, a workshop was recently organized by the Centre for International Forestry Research & World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) in collaboration with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Assam Environment and Forest Department.
The workshop aimed to educate farmers and NABARD stakeholders in Assam on the benefits of agroforestry and tree farming, highlighting opportunities for income generation through sustainable practices.
Addressing the event, Dr. C. Ramesh, CCF, Department of Environment and Forest, emphasized the crucial role of the farming community in the future of tree farming.
He highlighted agroforestry as the best solution for improving both environmental sustainability and farmer livelihoods, increasing soil health and boosting income.
Dr. Ramesh discussed various agroforestry models designed specifically for Assam’s microclimate, which will help farmers choose the right combination of trees and crops to cultivate for maximum profitability, contributing to a green economy.
Loken Das, CGM, NABARD, Assam Region praised the TOFI Program’s initiatives in Assam during his keynote address. He underscored the importance of agroforestry in increasing Assam’s tree cover outside forest areas and urged participants to implement the knowledge gained in the field.
He also spoke about the growing market for carbon credits in India, encouraging farmers to explore this opportunity to generate additional income through tree planting, alongside traditional farming methods.
Sharing his research and field experience on agroforestry in Assam, Dr. Ayub Ali, retired senior scientist, KVK, AAU, discussed the positive interaction between different tree species and crops, tailored to the local microclimate, and how these practices have benefitted farmers in Kamrup, Jorhat, and Nagaon districts by boosting income and improving land productivity.
State Coordinator of TOFI Program Assam, Dr. Arup Jyoti Kalita, provided an update on the program’s progress in Assam, outlining TOFI’s objectives and resources, including the Tree-Based Incubation Centre, nursery rating systems, TOFI Call Centre, and TOFI App for easier access to planting material and geographic information.
The event brought together 52 participants, including representatives from Farmer Producer Companies, NGOs, Progressive Farmers and other institutions across Assam.
Participants received in-depth training from the TOFI Assam team and agroforestry experts through theoretical sessions focused on agroforestry practices.
This workshop is part of the broader TOFI Program, a collaboration between USAID and India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC).
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Launched in September 2022, the TOFI program aims to rapidly expand tree coverage in seven states, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, while enhancing carbon sequestration and ecosystem services through cooperation between farmers, government agencies, and private institutions.
