1. Homegarden Agroforestry for
Socio-Economic, Ecological and
Environmental Sustainability in
Sri Lanka
DKNG Pushpakumara, B. Marambe, J. Weerahewa,
G.L.L.P. Silva, K.T. Premakantha and B.V.R. Punyawardena
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka,
Forest Department, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

2. Source: Pushpakumara et al. (2012)
Area of Homegardens in Sri Lanka in
Relation to Forests, Agriculture and Other
Landuses

3. Sri Lanka
Population pressure
Forest - protected
Land is limiting factor
Land degradation
Watershed issues
Food and nutritional security
Poor farmers – food &
nutrition problem

4. 13%
6%
10%
41%21%
9%
Homegardens
Rubber plantations
Coconut plantations
Forest plantations
Imported
Unrecorded
Sources of sawlogs
supply in Sri Lanka
Source: FSMP, 1995;
Pushpakumara et al. 2012
7%
27%4%
19%
3%
14%
7% 19%
Rubber w ood
Homegarden
Forest plantation
Coconut
Processing residues
Other
Natural forest
Crop land
Sources of fuelwood
supply in Sri Lanka
Sawlog and Fuelwood Production

5. Household income
Biodiversity conservation
Weerahewa et al. 2012; 2013

6. Diversity of the Plant Species (Numbers)
2300
Endemic
species
20201632Families
34262451Genera
36
(23%)
28
(18%)
25
(16%)
65
(42%)
Species
No specific
use identified
MedicinalTimberFood
Marambe et al., 2012; Weerahewa et al. 2012; 2013

7. Species Number of trees recorded from
homegardens
Coconut 38,616,649 ??
Jakfruit 10,437,142
Mahogany 6,410,248
Mango 5,607,688
Teak 3,293,609
Rambutan 1,177,920
Avacardo 986,161
Woodapple 948,752
Del 910,473
Delum 197,941
Ebony 174 005
Beli 165,718
Palmyrah 127,340
Nelli 116,728
Mango 52,103
Source: Ariyadasa (2002)
Tree
Domestication
Major source of
fruit production
and fruit tree
genetic diversity
Circa situm
conservation

8. Food and nutritional security

9. Sustainable Management of Landscape
and Provision of Environmental Services

10. District
Area
(sq
km)
Population
density
(per sq km)
Forest
cover (%)
Homegarden
cover
(%)*
Tree
canopy
cover
(%)
Ampara 4,318 143 37.5 4.1 41.6
Colombo 656 3,631 2.8 13.1 15.9
Gampaha 1,386 1,523 0.3 25.2 25.5
Hambantota 2,579 210 20.5 15.1 35.6
Kandy 1,906 704 17.0 30.4 47.4
Kegalle 1,693 468 9.5 23.2 32.7
Nuwara Eliya 1,720 423 24.5 5.3 29.8
Rathnapura 3,255 325 20.0 15.8 35.8
Vavunia 1,967 74 51.0 10.1 61.1
Sri Lanka 65,610 314 23.5 14.3 40.8
Statistics on land area, population density, forest cover and
homegarden area of selected districts of Sri Lanka.
Pushpakumara et al., 2012

12. Carbon Content in Different TROF
systems of Nuwara Eliya District
TROF system
Extent Weight at 20%
M.C.
Carbon content
(kg)
Homegarden
27,440 1,655,528,757 711,875,713.2
Tea based TROF
system
79,182 989,007,345 441,097,275.7
Urban agricultural
based TROF
system
3,885 77,924,882 34,754,497.42
Grassland
4,289 41,101,104 18,331,092.44
Annual crop based
TROF system
13,154 4,383,012 1,954,823.516
Total
127950 2,767,945,100 1,208,013,402

13. Homegardens are climate resilient

14. Now….
Priority in national development programs
(Divi Neguma – Livelihood improvement
programs).
Largely based on annual vegetables and
few perennials….

15. Not fully identified…

16. Fragmentation issue…..
Domestication of high value trees……
Perceptions and convictions……
Innovative management strategies…..
Dynamism of tree component……
Multi-disciplinary system approach…

17. Policy brief….

19. Thank you for your
attention..........