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Land-use change in Indian tropical agro-ecosystems: eco-energy estimation for socio-ecological sustainability

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Abstract

This study was carried out to understand the ecological and economic sustainability of floriculture and other main crops in Indian agro-ecosystems. The cultivation practices of four major flower crops, namely Jasminum multiflorum, Crossandra infundibuliformis, Chrysanthemum and Tagetes erecta, were studied in detail. The production cost of flowers in terms of energy was calculated to be 99,622–135,996 compared to 27,681–69,133 MJ ha−1 for the main crops, namely Oryza sativa, Eleusine coracana, Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor. The highest-energy input amongst the crops was recorded for Z. mays (69,133 MJ ha−1) as this is a resource-demanding crop. However, flower cultivation requires approximately twice the energy required for the cultivation of Z. mays. In terms of both energy and monetary inputs, flower cultivation needs two to three times the requirements of the main crops cultivated in the region. The monetary inputs for main crop cultivation were calculated to be ₹ 27,349 to ₹ 46,930 as compared to flower crops (₹ 62,540 to ₹ 144,355). Floriculture was found to be more efficient in monetary terms when compared to the main crops cultivated in the region. However, the energy efficiency of flower crops is lower than that of the main crops, and the energy output from flower cultivation was found to be declining in tropical agro-ecosystems in India. Amongst the various inputs, farmyard manure accounts for the highest proportion, and for its preparation, most of the raw material comes from the surrounding ecosystems. Thus, flower cultivation has a direct impact on the ecosystem resource flow. Therefore, keeping the economic and environmental sustainability in view, this study indicates that a more field-based research is required to frame appropriate policies for flower cultivation to achieve sustainable socio-ecological development.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to the anonymous reviewers and Dr. Frederick W. Kutz, Associate Editor of the journal, for their valuable comments and suggestions on the earlier drafts of the paper for the improvement. We thank the farmers of the study region for their support during the entire fieldwork. Financial support from Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), Department of Science and Technology, is thankfully acknowledged. Views expressed here are of the authors only and not of the organisations with which they are affiliated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, 560 072, India

    Sunil Nautiyal & Pavan Tikhile

  2. Institute of Socioeconomics, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374, Muencheberg, Germany

    Sunil Nautiyal & Harald Kaechele

  3. School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110 067, India

    M. S. Umesh Babu

  4. Technology Information, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), ‘A’ Wing, Vishwakarma Bhavan, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Sangeeta Baksi

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  1. Sunil Nautiyal
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Nautiyal, S., Kaechele, H., Umesh Babu, M.S. et al. Land-use change in Indian tropical agro-ecosystems: eco-energy estimation for socio-ecological sustainability. Environ Monit Assess 189, 168 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-5819-4

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