Farmers’ preference of fodder trees in mid hills of Uttarakhand: a comprehensive ranking using analytical hierarchy process

Abstract

Fodder trees are playing a crucial role to meet the deficiency of animal feeds in hilly areas during the winter season and lean period. To know the preference of hill farmers about the hill fodder trees, a study was conducted in mid hills of Almora district during 2015-16. Based on five parameters viz., i) palatability ii) ease of propagation iii) growth rates iv) frost resistance and v) forage yield, the 14 most popular fodder tree species were ranked based on multi criteria decision making technique analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The study revealed that majority of the farmers view was with Grewia optiva and Quercus leucotrichophora as superior than other species for the parameter palatability, faster growth, ease of propagation and forage yield. The overall scores of analysis indicated about Quercus leucotrichophora, Ehretia Laevis, Prunus cerasoides and Grewia optiva as most preferred fodder trees. In this study for all the parameters, the consistency ratio was less than 0.1. The results could be used for fodder tree distribution and promotion programme and policy for mid hills of Himalaya.