POTENTIALITY OF HOMESTEAD AGROFORESTRY IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE FARMERS IN CHITMAHALS OF LALMONIRHAT AND KURIGRAM DISTRICT

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the potentiality of homestead agroforestry practices improving the livelihood of the farmers of the Northern parts of Bangladesh especially of Angarpota Chitmahal of Lalmonirhat District and Dashiarchora Chitmahal of Kurigram District compared with non-chitmahal area Kutichandrakhana of Kurigram District. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data and correlation test was conducted to ascertain the relationship between concerned dependent and independent variables of the study. Semistructured interview, focus group discussion, participatory rural appraisal techniques were also used for data collection and the information was analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The study focused on the present status of study area, composition, structure of home garden, diversity of plant species and contribution of home garden to household food security, conservation of plant species, farmers perception about homestead agroforestry, socio-economic importance and the constraints of the total production system. It also explored the relationships among the selected characteristics of the farmers namely age, education, family size, homestead area, knowledge of homestead agroforestry, annual income from homestead area, problem confrontation with homestead agroforestry practices and opinion regarding changes of livelihood .Total income was found higher in large farm category than marginal. In Dashiarchora chitmahal total 142 plants species were recorded of which 69 timber species, 36 fruit trees, 12 medicinal species and 25 vegetable species. Again in Angarpota chitmahal total 140 plant species from of which 72 timber species, 41 fruit species, 8 medicinal species and 19 vegetable species. In nonChitmahal 140 species from non- chitmahal area of which 52 timber species 43 fruit species 16 medicinal species 29 vegetable species. Among these different plant species Jackfruit, Akashmoni, Mango, Mahogany and Eucalyptus were found as dominant tree species were found in almost 80% respondents houses. The diversity of timber species in the study area was rich compared to medicinal, fruits species. Mango and Jackfruit were identified as an important cashgrowing fruit tree while mahogoni and Eucalyptus as timber trees in all the study areas. The respondents faced many problems during tree plantation among them two major causes were poverty and lack of technical knowledge to adopt homestead agroforestry practices. Being the detached people of the country, they have little education and their learning level is very low. They have also little or no training on improving homestead agroforestry, they have lower annual income and maximum people involved in work with agriculture and they do not have much homestead area and cropland area. The findings suggests that homesteads of Chitmahal area can be improved by proper management practices, providing, co-operative and extension services in comparison to non chitmahal one. However there are a good scope to improve the homestead agroforestry in chitmahal area of northern part of Bangladesh to improve their livelihood.