Trees and water: smallholder agroforestry on irrigated lands in Northern India
This study used farmer-survey data, remote sensing, and hydrological modeling of the prevalent cropping systems to investigate the importance and role of the poplar trees within the agricultural landscape, and to estimate their water use. It was found that trees are currently grown on approximately 10% of the irrigated lands, which are located within the study area in northern India. The study observed that poplar plantation increased water productivity and profitability of the smallholder farmers. As this agroforestry system replaces an already intensively irrigated cropping system, the establishment of poplar agroforestry on 10% of the area adds only a very marginal increase to the existing water use for crops in this region.