Panjab’s Agroforestry Scheme Boosts Farmers' Income Amid Eucalyptus Concerns

The Panjab govt’s Crop Diversification through Agroforestry (CDAF) scheme, launched in 2022-23, is helping farmers diversify their crops and increase their income through tree planting. Sukhjit Singh Sandhu, who started with 2 acres and expanded to 8 acres, received $49K in subsidies, while another farmer Yashpal Singh, who planted trees on 7 acres, received $25K. The scheme encourages agroforestry, which reduces reliance on water-intensive crops like paddy, helping to conserve natural resources. Farmers who plant trees receive subsidies over three years, depending on the type of tree. The scheme also offers a mobile app for registration, field verification, and subsidy calculation, ensuring transparency. In 2022-23, 3,109 beneficiaries planted 3.6M saplings and received $949K in subsidies, while in 2023-24, 2,940 beneficiaries planted 3.4M saplings and will receive $938K. Experts believe the CDAF scheme could help address Panjab’s declining groundwater levels, which are dropping by 80-90 cm annually in many areas. Panjab is a major eucalyptus producer for timber and paper industries, but its cultivation raises concerns. In 2021, The Forest Department halted the planting of eucalyptus trees along roadsides in the district after environmentalists filed petitions with the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The petition cited concerns over eucalyptus trees, known to deplete soil nutrients and consume significant amounts of water, making the land infertile for other crops. Activist Michal Rahul urged implementing NGT recommendations and promoting native trees, arguing rural bodies should avoid planting exotic species like eucalyptus in favor of those beneficial to the environment.