Food Forest Survey:
Understanding Impact on Food Production & Ecological Restoration
About the Research
We are conducting research to explore how food forests can support ecological restoration and food production. Your responses will help us understand practices, perceptions, and potential across diverse geographies. The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes.
Name
*
First Name
Last Name
Address
*
Village/Town/City
District
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
Please Select
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
The Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
North Korea
South Korea
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nagorno-Karabakh
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Northern Mariana
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somaliland
South Africa
South Ossetia
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
eSwatini
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Transnistria Pridnestrovie
Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
British Virgin Islands
Isle of Man
US Virgin Islands
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Other
Country
Email
*
example@example.com
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Climate Zone
*
Tropical Wet (Humid) – Coastal & Western Ghats (High rainfall, warm temperatures year-round. Examples: Kerala, Goa, parts of Karnataka, coastal Tamil Nadu)
Tropical Dry – Central & Interior Peninsular India (Hot summers, dry winters, moderate rainfall. Examples: Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada (Maharashtra), inland Tamil Nadu)
Arid and Semi-Arid – Desert and Rain-Shadow Areas (Low rainfall, high temperature variation. Examples: Rajasthan, Kutch (Gujarat), parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh)
Temperate/Subtropical – Himalayan Foothills & North-East Hills (Cooler winters, mild summers, distinct seasons. Examples: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland)
Mountain/Alpine – High Himalayas (Snowfall in winters, short growing seasons. Examples: Ladakh, parts of Arunachal Pradesh, high-altitude Himachal and Kashmir)
Other
Occupation Or Primary Livelihood
*
Have you implemented or worked with any of the following systems before?
*
Monoculture
Polyculture
Permaculture
Natural Farming
Agroforestry
Food Forest
Greenhouse
Other
Please state your Experience in Farming/Producing Food(Years)
Have you observed or nurtured a Food Forest?
*
Yes
No
No, but I would like to
Back
Next
How long has your food forest existed?
*
Less than 1 year
1–3 years
4–6 years
More than 6 years
Size of the food forest (approximate in sq meters or acres):
Backyard/Farm/etc
What layers are present in your food forest? (Select all that apply):Type a question
*
Canopy trees (e.g., mango, jackfruit)
Sub-canopy fruit trees
Shrubs
Herbs and vegetables
Ground cover
Root crops
Climbers/vines
What types of plants/trees do you grow? (List a few examples)
Names
Fruit Bearing
Vegetables
Herbs
Edible Flowers/Greens
Mushrooms
Others
How does your food forest contribute to your household’s food needs?
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Main food source
Supplementary
Occasional
Not yet producing food
Compared to conventional farming/gardening, have you observed:
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Higher diversity of produce
Longer harvest seasons
Less water usage
Lower input costs
Reduced pest issues
Higher yields
Other
Do you sell any produce from the food forest?
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Yes
No
Sometimes
Have you observed any of the following changes over time?
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Improved soil quality
Increased bird or insect activity
Reduced erosion or runoff
Better water retention
Regrowth of native species
Decrease in invasive species
Microclimate cooling/shade increase
Do you use any of the following ecological techniques?
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Mulching
Composting
Companion planting
Rainwater harvesting
No-dig/tilling gardening
Others
Did you incorporate any traditional or indigenous practices in your food forest?
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Yes
No
What are these practices and where do they come from? (Locality/Lineage/Books)
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Can you describe the layout and main elements of your food forest — such as the types of plants, layers, and how they interact?
*
What are the key benefits you’ve experienced?
*
Would you be open to being part of a network or community of food forest practitioners?
*
Yes
No
Back
Next
The key difference between monocropping (monoculture) and sustainable systems like permaculture, food forests, polyculture, agroforestry, and natural farming lies in their relationship with diversity, ecological balance, and long-term resilience.
Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge.
What types of wild edible plants or flowers grow in your food forest?(e.g., amaranth, purslane, wild turmeric, etc.)
*
Have you intentionally planted any wild/native species for their ecological benefits?
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Some
All
None, they grew on their own
What roles do these plants play in your ecosystem? (Check all that apply)
*
Attract pollinators
Fix nitrogen or improve soil
Provide ground cover or prevent erosion
Serve as pest deterrents or trap crops
Act as companion plants
Other (Please specify)
What other roles do they play in your experience?
Do you observe an increase in pollinator species (bees, butterflies, birds) where flowering plants are abundant?
*
Yes, noticeably
Slightly
Not really
Haven’t observed
What are the most commonly used wild edibles in your household/community?
Have you noticed better crop performance when wildflowers or edible weeds are nearby?
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Yes
No
Only for certain crops
Do any wild plants act as natural repellents or attractants for beneficial insects?
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Many
Some
None
Do you allow some “weeds” to grow intentionally? Why or why not?
*
Do you or your community save seeds or cuttings of these wild/naturalized species?
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Yes
No
No but would like to
Are any wild edibles or flowers used in traditional medicine, rituals, or festivals?
*
Yes
No
Not Sure
How important is the preservation of native wild plants in your food forest/farming philosophy?
*
Central to the vision
Important but not priority
Not considered yet
How did you learn about wild edible or flowering plants?
*
Elders/community
Books or foraging guides
Online resources
Trial and error
Mentors or training
Other
Would you be interested in workshops or knowledge exchanges focused on wild flowers and plants?
*
Yes
Maybe
No
Lastly, about the wild-life!
bees, sunbirds, frogs, squirrels, snakes, butterflies, etc.
Which wildlife species are now regular visitors to your food forest?
Have you created or preserved any microhabitats (e.g., ponds, fallen logs, wild thickets) for wildlife?
Would you be open to learning or sharing practices for wildlife-friendly food forest design?
*
Yes
No
Keep me posted via Email
Is there anything else that you would like to share or ask?
Submit
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