Common Practice Standards must have India outlook

Agroforestry

·      
About: Agro forestry is a
sustainable management for the land that increases overall production, combines
agricultural crops, tree crops, forest plants and animals simultaneously and
applies management practices that are compatible with the cultural patterns of
the local population.

·      
Type: Agroforestry
is a type of social forestry in
which tree farming and fodder plants, grasses and legumes are grown on the
farmers’ land.

·      
Cultivating
procedure: It involves
rising of trees and agricultural crops either on the same land or in close
association in such a way that all land including the waste
patches is put to good use.

·      
Agroforestry in India: The Indian Council for Agricultural Research and
Forestry Department jointly undertake agroforestry research in order to develop
suitable systems of land management which involves the integration of
silviculture, with horticulture, agriculture and animal husbandry.

Agroforestry
have become very popular in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka,
Kerala, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Main
Species of trees used are Eucalyptus, Poplar and Casuarinas.

·      
Advantages: The
absentee landlords go for agroforestry to retain title of the land and to
increase their income, to manage the agricultural land even without the
availability of family labour, to ensure better land use, to generate
employment, to conserve soil moisture, to meet the needs of fuel wood, fodder
and timber, to protect the arable land
from wind and water erosion.

·      
Adverse
effects: Market
oriented trees are preferred which damage the ecosystem. Instead of Poplar and eucalyptus,
farmers should plant neem, Mahua, Arjun and Acacia, fuelwood and fodder
trees are generally neglected, exotic varieties are soil-moisture
and water exhaustive resulting in adversely affecting ground water table of the
area, land under agroforestry become unproductive as the roots of the tree
become so dense that they need intensive labour for their removal.

Key points                     

·       Common practice in Carbon Finance: In the realm of carbon finance, “common
practice” is a key criterion used to assess whether a project is additional
— meaning, it goes beyond what is typically done in a given region. According
to carbon standards such as Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or the Gold
Standard, if an activity is deemed “common practice”, it may not qualify for
carbon credits, as it is not seen as contributing additional environmental
benefits beyond the norm. While beneficial, these practices may not meet the
additionality criteria set by current carbon standards because they are
perceived as “common” within the Indian context.

Ø  Common practice means activities and
management practices that are widely used in a region whether or not it is
required by law or regulation.

·      
India’s
stand: An India-centric approach would recognise that even small,
incremental changes in land management practices such as adopting more
systematic agroforestry techniques or utilising carbon finance to maintain tree
cover can be transformative. Agroforestry, when integrated with ARR
initiatives, offers a viable solution to the various challenges faced by
India’s agricultural sector. For farmers grappling with unpredictable weather
patterns and fluctuating crop yields, participating in ARR projects presents a
pathway to income diversification. Beyond economic gains, ARR
projects deliver crucial environmental benefits, such as enhancing soil
fertility, improving water retention, and mitigating erosion, thereby
bolstering agricultural productivity and ensuring long-term sustainability.

·      
Benefits
for small and marginal farmers: Research institutes such as The
Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have already demonstrated the potential
of ARR projects in India, spearheading 19 projects across seven States,
benefiting over 56,600 farmers.

·      
Way
forward: As India looks to expand its agroforestry sector and
leverage the benefits of carbon finance it is crucial that international
standards evolve to reflect the specific conditions of the Indian subcontinent.
Revising the “Common Practice” guidelines to be more inclusive of Indian
agroforestry practices will enable millions of small and marginal farmers to
participate in ARR projects. This would not only drive sustainable development
but also provide a much-needed boost to the incomes of millions of rural
households, ultimately contributing to the overall economic and environmental
resilience of the country.