Agroecological assessment of silvi-horticultural land-use systems in Theni District, Tamil Nadu: Economic performance and ecosystem services
Abstract
The silvi-horticultural system, a key agroforestry practice integrating fruit-bearing trees with understorey horticultural crops, delivers significant multidimensional benefits, including economic returns and ecological services. This study presents a comprehensive economic valuation and ecosystem services documentation of the silvi-horticultural system as practised by 40 farmers across five taluks of Theni District, Tamil Nadu. Data were collected through a structured pilot survey administered in May 2026, covering socioeconomic profiling, land and system details, cost-and-return analysis using the farm-budget methodology and a four-category ecosystem services documentation framework encompassing provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural services. Results indicate that the system generates a mean total gross return (GR) of ₹118913 per acre (95 % confidence interval (CI): ₹106276–131551) against a total cost of cultivation (TC) of ₹66682 per acre, yielding a benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 1.82 over total cost (95 % CI: 1.60–2.04) and 2.57 over variable cost (95 % CI: 2.25–2.89), both significantly above the economic-viability threshold of 1.0 (one-sample t-test, p < 0.001). Net returns over total cost averaged ₹52231 per acre (95 % CI: ₹38612–65850), significantly greater than zero (p < 0.001). Ecologically, farmers reported shade provision on 97.5 % of farms, temperature reduction on 90.0 %, reduced soil erosion on 82.5 % and increased bird species richness on 80.0 % of farms. These are self-reported perceptions rather than independently measured effects and should be interpreted with the recall-bias and no-control-group caveats detailed in the discussion. The dominant species combination mango (Mangifera indica L.) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) as tree components and cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) and pepper (Piper nigrum L.) as intercrops, represents an ecologically complementary and economically productive arrangement well-suited to the foothills of the Western Ghats in Theni District.