Question

Taungya was first introduced to India by ___________.

• A. LS Khan
• B. John Bene
• C. Dietrich Brandis
• D. PKR ir

Hint:

The word "Taungya" is a Burmese term where "Taung" means hill and "ya" means cultivation.
It is historically recognized as one of the earliest structured agroforestry systems in the tropics.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Taungya system is a traditiol agroforestry practice where forest plantations are established in combition with temporary agricultural crops.
It origited in Myanmar (Burma) in the mid-19th century and was subsequently introduced to India to establish valuable timber plantations, such as teak and sal.

Step 2: Detailed Explation:
The Taungya system was initiated in Burma in 1856 by King Maung Thar, but its systematic forestry application was developed by Sir Dietrich Brandis.
Brandis, who was the first Inspector General of Forests in India, recognized the value of using shifting cultivators' labor to plant teak trees on state lands.
Under this system, villagers were permitted to cultivate agricultural crops in between the rows of newly planted tree seedlings.
As the tree canopy closed after a few years, crop cultivation was stopped, and the cultivators moved to a new block.
This system was first introduced to India in 1890 in North Bengal, and later to Dehradun in 1923, primarily under the guiding principles laid down by Brandis.
Therefore, Dietrich Brandis is credited with introducing and organizing this practice in India.

Step 3: Fil Answer:
The correct option is (C).