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<p>The Central Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, hosts a diverse range of agroforestry practices that play a crucial role in sustaining livelihoods and maintaining ecological balance. This study employed Sentinel-2b imagery data and a comprehensive field survey of 198 farmers practicing agroforestry, to explore the current land use land cover (LULC), their socio-economic characteristics, species diversity, silvicultural management practices, benefits and constraints in the Central Western Ghats. The findings revealed that, dense forests dominate the landscape (692,631&#xa0;ha), while the agroforestry systems occupy 24,965 hectare. The LULC classification using Google Earth Engine (GEE) &amp; Random Forest (RF) algorithm, achieved an overall accuracy of 96.95% and a Kappa index of 0.94 and validated with 17,639 ground control points (GCPs) collected during extensive field survey. Arecanut-based plantations, fruits trees and cash crops contributed significantly to the regional economy and conservation of biodiversity. The study also highlights the socio-demographic profile of agroforestry practitioners, characterized by an older, predominantly male population with varied educational backgrounds and a strong inclination towards traditional farming practices. Despite challenges such as wildlife conflicts, limited market access and bureaucratic hurdles, 52% of farmers expressed willingness to expand agroforestry, driven by economic incentives. This study underscores the need for targeted extension services and policy interventions by the government to address these barriers and promote sustainable agroforestry practices.</p>

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Mapping agroforestry dynamics in central Western Ghats: land cover land use and farmers practices

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月10日

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  • Shahbaz Noori,
  • Tabassum H.,
  • Shivakumar Inamati

摘要

The Central Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, hosts a diverse range of agroforestry practices that play a crucial role in sustaining livelihoods and maintaining ecological balance. This study employed Sentinel-2b imagery data and a comprehensive field survey of 198 farmers practicing agroforestry, to explore the current land use land cover (LULC), their socio-economic characteristics, species diversity, silvicultural management practices, benefits and constraints in the Central Western Ghats. The findings revealed that, dense forests dominate the landscape (692,631 ha), while the agroforestry systems occupy 24,965 hectare. The LULC classification using Google Earth Engine (GEE) & Random Forest (RF) algorithm, achieved an overall accuracy of 96.95% and a Kappa index of 0.94 and validated with 17,639 ground control points (GCPs) collected during extensive field survey. Arecanut-based plantations, fruits trees and cash crops contributed significantly to the regional economy and conservation of biodiversity. The study also highlights the socio-demographic profile of agroforestry practitioners, characterized by an older, predominantly male population with varied educational backgrounds and a strong inclination towards traditional farming practices. Despite challenges such as wildlife conflicts, limited market access and bureaucratic hurdles, 52% of farmers expressed willingness to expand agroforestry, driven by economic incentives. This study underscores the need for targeted extension services and policy interventions by the government to address these barriers and promote sustainable agroforestry practices.