Socioeconomic Status and Livelihood Security of Farmers Practicing Agroforestry in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The study was carried out in Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh with the aim to understand socio-economic status and livelihood opportunities of farming communities practicing agroforestry systems. It is evident from the study that majority of medium farmer community were having joint families, while small and marginal farmers had nuclear families. High literacy rate is one of the main characteristic feature of the study area. Major part of the study area is rainfed (>70 per cent) and farmers were doing their farming in a traditional way. The average land holding size was recorded in the tune 1.57 ha, 1.55 ha, 1.74 ha, 1.66 ha and 1.82 ha, in altitudinal zone-I, II, III, IV and V, respectively. The sampled farmers meet their livelihood through horticulture, agriculture/agroforestry and services in both government and private sectors.