The Potential of Agro-Forestry to Enhance Rural Livelihoods in Punjab, Pakistan: A Socio-Economic Viewpoint

Agroforestry improves the stability and productivity of agro-ecosystems and reduces environmental pressures, making it extremely flexible and useful in a variety of physical and social contexts. This practice is crucial to farmers' livelihoods on both an ecological and economical level. Using an interview schedule, data were gathered from 170 heads of rural families who were chosen at random. Of the responders, the majority (77.5%) were young (25 to 40 years old). Of those who had completed more than five years of schooling, only 46.7% were literate, while a sizable majority (53.3%) were illiterate. For the vast majority of responders (62.4%), farming was their primary source of income. Given that over 54% of the respondents only owned up to five acres of land, small farming is extremely common. The majority (61.3%) were considered poor with a monthly income of less than 18000 PKR. "Good source of fuel wood" was placed at the top (mean = 3.1%) when it came to the effect of agroforestry on the food security of rural households. One of the main obstacles was having a small land holding (mean = 2.52). The majority of respondents believed that the primary benefit of agro-forestry was a reduction in soil loss. The amount of land held, income source, and educational attainment all significantly correlated with the perception of poverty. The study found that the best way of sustainably assuring food security in the study area and satisfying rural residents' needs for food for extended periods of time is to incorporate agroforestry into the current farming system.