Effect of household resources on agrobiodiversity of food species in Indian homegardens

Dipl.-Ing. B.Sc. Vraj Ureshkumar Thakar, Dipl. Ing.

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Homegardens represent the traditional land-use system, which has been recognized by households, researchers, or policymakers as a keystone of agrobiodiversity conservation, ensuring food security and improving the resilience of livelihood. The purpose of this study was to document the current status of agrobiodiversity in homegardens from the Gujarat state in the western part of India and to analyse potential effects of both household and homegarden characteristics on species composition, use, and richness. A standard questionnaire was used to collect data from 38 households on plant species, household characteristics, homegarden characteristics, and level of market orientation. Selected homegardens were categorized as commercial and non-commercial based on a percentage of plant species utilization in order to capture current tendencies in the “commercialization” of agriculture. The results indicate that commercial homegardens (n=26) have different structures and utilization on selecting plant species compare to non-commercial ones (n=12). Standard agrobiodiversity indices (Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, and Simpson’s) show that plant species diversity in non-commercial homegardens is higher than in commercial ones. A total number of 50 plant species were identified in targeted gardens, most of them were used as a food. Furthermore, homegarden size has a rather reverse effect on agrobiodiversity as well. Homegardens with less than 0.25 ha land size seemed to have better biodiversity value compare to larger ones. Interestingly, more aged homegardens were less diverse as well. Additionally, no significant impact farming experience of the household head on biodiversity was observed. A positive impact on agrobiodiversity was associated with high literacy rates and keeping livestock within homegardens. Generally, based on our results, selected homegardens in the Gujarat state are particularly used for the production of food species, which are predominantly sold on the markets. More studies are however needed to understand how particular species are utilised at the household level with respect to commercialization and how continuous specialization on markets would affect overall agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge on local species use.

Keywords

market orientation, agribiodiversity, homegarden characteristics, household characteristics

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 15. 5. 2020

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Vladimír Verner, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Development