Background: The present investigation was conducted during 2025-26 in the Horticulture Laboratory, School of Agricultural Sciences (SoAS), G.D. Goenka University, Gurugram, Haryana, with the objective of optimizing suitable blending ratios and evaluating the quality and storage stability of mandarin-based cordial. 
 
Methods: Four combinations of mandarin and strawberry were formulated using different flavouring ingredients, viz., ginger (Combination A), peppermint (Combination B), sweet basil (Combination C) and tamarind (Combination D), with three blending ratios under each combination. Among the treatments, T3 comprising 55% mandarin + 40% strawberry + 5% ginger in Combination A, T2 comprising 60% mandarin + 35% strawberry + 5% peppermint in Combination B, T2 comprising 60% mandarin + 35% strawberry + 5% sweet basil in Combination C and T3 comprising 55% mandarin + 40% strawberry + 5% tamarind in Combination D were found to be the most acceptable on the basis of organoleptic evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale by a diverse panel comprising male and female evaluators of different age groups from 20 to 75 years. These four treatments were subsequently selected for storage evaluation. The selected cordials were standardized to 25% fruit juice/pulp, 30% total soluble solids, 1.50% acidity and 600 ppm sodium benzoate, filled into 500 ml glass bottles and stored under ambient conditions. Quality attributes were evaluated at monthly intervals for 150 days. 
 
Result: During storage, TSS, acidity, total sugars, microbial counts and browning index showed a gradual increasing trend, whereas ascorbic acid, pH and organoleptic quality exhibited a decreasing trend. The magnitude of these changes varied among the selected treatments. Among the treatments, T3 of Combination D (55% mandarin + 40% strawberry + 5% tamarind) exhibited the slowest rate of undesirable changes in chemical attributes and retained comparatively better-quality during storage followed by T3 of Combination A (55% mandarin + 40% strawberry + 5% ginger). At the end of 150 days of storage, T3 of Combination D recorded the highest overall sensory acceptability, indicating superior retention of desirable quality characteristics and better storage stability compared with the other treatments. Thus, the study demonstrated that 55% mandarin + 40% strawberry + 5% tamarind (D-T3) was the most promising formulation for the preparation of an acceptable and comparatively stable mandarin-based cordial under ambient storage conditions (18.55 to 26.39&deg;C). 
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Optimization of Blending Ratios and Quality Evaluation of Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) based Cordial

Background: Agroforestry is a kind of land use system that has been practiced since long in many parts of the world. Even if agroforestry is contributing a lot for the farmers, no study has been conducted which acknowledges the socio-economic importance of agroforestry practices in Harari regional state. Therefore, this may create a problem to expand and adapt the practices to another area for the cope and mitigate climate changes, and achieve food security.&nbsp; 
Methods: The study used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. It ascertained the role of agroforestry practices in Harari regional state. A sample of 350 farmers was interviewed and selected using two-stage random sampling techniques.&nbsp; 
Result: The results showed that 100% of the sample respondents practiced agroforestry as a land use for income source, shade, soil improvement, fodder, firewood, construction material, medicinal purposes etc. The components of the agroforestry system adopted by the local community were pulse, root, cereal crops and vegetables. Khat, Eritia, Acacia, Cordial, Zeziphus were the fodder species used. 78.57% of the respondents used a stallfeeding technique to feed their animals. The respondents obtained annual income of 32,199.16 Ethiopian birrs on average. In general, the agroforestry system helps the local communities to diversify their income, fulfill animal feed, and cope with and mitigate climate change. To sustain the local people with the climate change, decision-makers and researchers should give more attention to the preferred agroforestry species. 
 
JEL codes: O13, Q01, Q12, Q18, Q23

Optimization of Blending Ratios and Quality Evaluation of Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) based Cordial

Agroforestry Practice and its Socioeconomic Benefits in Eastern Ethiopia