Recent Advances in the Management of Coconut-Based Ecosystems in India
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1980
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Abstract
Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.), cultivated in about 1.1 million hectares, mainly in the southern parts of the west coast of India, is the mainstay of the economy of Kerala State and forms the-major visible component of the ecosystem of the area. Traditionally, it is cultivated in small homestead gardens of areas less than 1 ha. and scientific innovations have made little impact on its management by the small farmer. Experimental results have shown that cultivation operations for weed control and proper management of inputs such as nutrients and water can increase the yields of palms substantially. A major scientific initiative in recent years, aimed at increasing the productivity of the coconut areas, is the intensification of land use through combination of compatible crops (and sometimes animals) under or between the palms. Considerable progress has been achieved in identifying the crops that grow well with coconuts and perfecting the agrotechniques of such combination cultures, and the farmers are taking up the practice in a big way. Ecological implications of these new initiatives in the management of the coconut-based ecosystem are examined.
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Tropical Ecology & Development, 1980, pp.569-580