Farming system approach for efficient resource management, and economic security in the degraded jhum lands of Meghalaya

Shifting /jhum cultivation, is the major production system in hilly agro-ecologies of Meghalaya, leading to resource degradation, reduced crop productivity, and environmental pollution. This necessitates the implementation of a micro-watershed-based integrated farming system (IFS) with effective soil and water conservation measures. Thus, an agro-pastoral-based farming system (0.64 ha) was evaluated from 2021 to 2023, to improve system productivity, and farm income and reduce reliance on external inputs. The crop planning strategy was designed across different watershed zones: single cropping in the upper zone, double cropping in the middle, and triple cropping in the lower zone, with vertical farming to optimize land use and maximize yield. Among various enterprises, the dairy unit had the highest system production efficiency (SPE) (28.1 kg/ha/day) and system productivity (SP) (10.2 Mg/ ha), and overall, the agro-pastoral system recorded 75% and 47% greater SP than farmer practices I and II, respectively. The agro-pastoral system achieved ~85-92% greater net return, highest B:C ratio (1.67), system economic efficiency (SEE) (`414/ha/day), and employment (250 man-days) than the farmer practices. The integration of different enterprises also enhanced energy dynamics. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, the dairy unit had the highest contribution (49%), followed by maize-green gram-toria (10%), and the least in sole turmeric (6%). Additionally, the boundary tree species contributed a carbon sink of 5,707 kg CO2eq/yr, resulting in a positive system carbon balance of 14,635 kg CO2eq/yr. Thus, the adoption of an agro-pastoral system offers a suitable alternative for achieving higher resource efficiency, and economic security in the mid-hills of Meghalaya.