**2. Methodology**

The study was conducted over the period of twelve months starting from July 2018 and ended by May 2019. Two sites were selected for this study one from high drought prone site and another from low drought prone site of Barind Tract with the view to see the impacts of drought on the homestead plant diversity. Homestead agro biodiversity (plants) was calculated using Shannon's Index. Homestead agro biodiversity (only plant species) was measured using similar size of homestead from different group (small, medium and large) as the quadrant. Plant species was studied using quadrat method covering random quadrat of 10 m × 10 m size was laid for trees, vegetables and other plants (shrubs and herbs) were laid in each homestead. Total 300 respondents (150 respondents from each site) considering equal numbers of respondents from small, medium and large category of the homestead. The farm owners were asked to know about the plant species and dietary diversity. Eight Focus Group Discussion (four from each site: two with elderly people and two with the ethnic people) have been carried out to know the insights of plant diversity at the homesteads. Semi-structured questionnaire, guided checklist, expert consultation and field observation has been carried out for this study. Quadrant method has been followed in collecting data from sample unit in the study areas. Nine quadrates from high drought prone areas and nine quadrates from low drought prone areas (3 from each farm size) have been laid for the measurement agro biodiversity. Survey on crops (species) has been carried out in the sampled quadrant. Secondary relevant information has been used to enrich the study. The agro biodiversity has been calculated using Shannon's diversity Index.

$$H = -\sum\_{i=1}^{S} p\_i \ln p\_i$$

H = Shannon's diversity index.

S = Total number of species in the community (richness).

pi = The proportion of species *i* relative to the total number of species (*p*i).

ln *p*i = The natural logarithm of this proportion.
