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Uttarakhand's Smaller Agroforests Face 70% Decline by 2050 Due to Climate Change
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News18•25-09-2026, 18:00
Uttarakhand's Smaller Agroforests Face 70% Decline by 2050 Due to Climate Change
- •A study predicts up to a 70% decline in smaller agroforestry patches in Uttarakhand by 2050, with larger farm hills seeing a 10-20% reduction under continued climate warming.
- •The decreases are most pronounced in mid-elevation zones and rain-fed agroforestry regions, where climate stress is expected to intensify.
- •Researchers from Doon University and ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute analyzed satellite images and field surveys to project future changes.
- •Agroforestry systems, crucial for climate change adaptation and mitigation, are vulnerable to global warming's effects on temperature, precipitation, and extreme events.
- •Mid-altitudinal zones (1,100-1,600m) show the highest suitability for agroforestry expansion, while areas below 600m or above 2,100m are least suitable.
Key Questions Answered
Smaller agroforestry patches in Uttarakhand under five square kilometres are projected to experience a decline of up to 60 to 70 per cent by 2050 under continued climate warming.
The research was conducted by scientists from Dehradun’s Doon University and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Agroforestry Research Institute located in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
Mid-altitude zones between 1,100 metres and 1,600 metres with 20-30 degree slopes offer the highest suitability for agroforestry expansion, covering about 150 square kilometres.
