Abstract:

Field Margin Vegetation (FMV) is an important part of agrobiodiversity which provides a range of ecological and economic benefits. Those services are mostly unaccounted in spite of having potential contribution to biodiversity conservation, well-being of farming households, climate change mitigation etc. The structure and composition of FMV and socioeconomic transformation are closely linked to each other. Transformation which influences FMV negatively leads to erosion of traditional ecological knowledge of the community that is associated with the use, management and conservation of native vegetations in the agroecosystems. There has been research on the function and composition of field margin vegetations, more specifically in the West but the documentation of traditional ecological knowledge on field margin vegetation from the viewpoint of socioecological sustainability is not readily available.  This is a preliminary, yet substantial attempt that provides insights into the socioecological significance of the FMV component of agroecosystem. The findings would help in strategising actions to enhance its stake in initiatives to achieve sustainable development goals through health and nutrition, sustainable farming, environmental conservation and economic well-being. The study suggests that the scientific assessment of ecosystem services from FMV along with integration of traditional ecological knowledge in contemporary science would certainly contribute towards enhancement of its values.