Farmers perception and adoption of boundary plantation practices for income diversification

Abstract:

Convincing smallholder farmers to plant trees on their field boundaries — rather than leaving them bare or weed-infested — remains one of agroforestry's persistent challenges. This research surveyed 180 farm households across six villages in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, to assess perceptions, adoption levels, and income contributions of boundary plantation practices. Data were collected through structured interviews during November-December 2021. Of the 180 respondents, 61% had adopted some form of boundary planting, but only 23% maintained trees on more than half their boundary length. Teak (Tectona grandis), neem (Azadirachta indica), and guava (Psidium guajava) were the most common species. Farm size was the strongest predictor of adoption (r = 0.74); marginal farmers (<1 ha) had adoption scores averaging 38/100 compared with 71/100 for large farmers (>4 ha). Extension contact and subsidy awareness also correlated positively with adoption. Adopters reported 23% higher gross income from timber sales and 18% from fruit harvests relative to non-adopters. Perceived root competition with adjacent crops was the primary reason cited by non-adopters (68%). These results suggest that targeted extension, species-specific planting guidelines, and seedling subsidies could raise adoption rates among smaller landholders.