Agroforestry in Haryana: Charting a new path of success

Chandigarh, March 11, 2022: Being predominantly an agrarian economy, Haryana is a state where more than 80 percent of the land area is cultivated. Besides showing a whopping growth in agriculture, industry, and many other areas, this state has displayed a brilliant success story on agroforestry too which is the result of the Haryana Government’s diligent efforts under the leadership of Chief Minister Manohar Lal, that today, Haryana is being appreciated for its commendable work done under the agroforestry sector at the national and global level. Recently, during a national webinar, ‘Energy for Sustainable Growth’, Haryana received immense appreciation from the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for its exceptional progress and immaculate efforts in agroforestry. 

Agroforestry is an area wherein the state of Haryana has taken long strides in the past decade as this is the only way in which the state can increase its area under green cover. Haryana has demonstrated how a forest and natural resources scarce and deficient state with only about 3.5 percent area under forests and more than 80 percent area under agriculture can support the nation’s food security and wood security as a wood surplus state.

Known as the ‘Breadbasket of India’, Haryana as a leader in agroforestry is committed to working on the motto ‘Panchamrit’ given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Glasgow during UNFCCC-CoP to address Climate Change Challenges. Various innovative schemes and projects run by the State Government such as ‘Oxy-Van’, ‘Praan Vayu Devta’, ‘Mera Paani-Meri Viraasat’ are some of the examples of promoting crop diversification and achieving the PM Narendra Modi’s vision of net-zero emissions target by 2070.

Apart from this, the state is also leading in the wood market supports as Yamunanagar wood market supports about 50 percent of India’s Plywood Production-making it ‘Plywood Capital’ of the Country. Yamunanagar city now has a heavy concentration of wood-based units, which manufacture wood products of around Rs 5,000-6,000 crore annually and provide direct and indirect employment to about 1.5 lakh people.

Notably, Agroforestry has enabled the forest deficient state of Haryana to support a large number of wood-based industries based on farm-grown wood. Haryana Government’s policy of not having any restrictions on the felling of trees from private areas and the transit of wood has also helped in expanding the timber trade and wood-based industries. The State Government is creating favorable conditions in the state so that wood-based industries and agroforestry activity can further grow simultaneously.