AGROFORESTRY STATUS AND ITS IMPACT ON LIVELIHOOD OF CHAR LAND FARMERS IN NILPHAMARI DISTRICT

Abstract

The present study was conducted among the char land area of two Upazila namely Jaldhaka and Dimla of Nilphamari district of Bangladesh to find the agroforestry status and its impact on the livelihood of charland farmers. A total sample of 100 (50 from each Upazila) farmers were selected randomly for data collection. Data were analyzed with a combination of descriptive statistics, mathematical and statistical techniques. Majority of the respondent family (56 %) were in the age category of middle aged (years) which are considered as the most active and working group. Most of the respondents can sign only category of education level (53 %) in the study areas. Majority of them have (62 %) were medium knowledge with mean score 22.8 with a standard deviation of 10.59 of the knowledge of agroforestry. Better part of the respondents were found to consume fruit and rest of them engaged in fruit distribution and sale. More than 53 % of these charland farmers had sign only educational level; therefore they have not enough knowledge about the benefit of medicinal plants of homestead agroforestry. The highest percentage of respondents assigned/involved in various management practices i.e. seed collection, watering, weed control, maturing, fertilization, pruning and insecticide spray in the study area. The extension workers in the charland did not have enough facilities to communicate (information from UAO AEO, SAAO, NGOs, GD, participation in field day, TV, Radio and newspaper, leaflet, bulletin) for the development of homestead agroforestry. Among the respondents, 95% (highest) and 6% (lowest) were mango and tamarindus tree farmer respectively. The highest (39%) of respondents was found eucalyptus with ranked 1 and lowest (4%) of respondents was found east African mehogony and banyan tree and then the ranked (11) were same. Results shows that the highest (68%) of respondent family were lal shak and ranked 1 and lowest (10%) of respondents was cultivated cucumber, ridge gourd and cauliflower vegetable at home and then the ranked (18) were same species diversity in homestead agroforestry. Most of the respondents faced problems damaged by animals such as cattle, goat, etc. (36 %), not faced any problems (8 %). This problem was hindrance to improve the homestead agroforestry. Need proper homestead agroforestry knowledge about planting trees, the extension workers and also the members of NGOs can play a crucial role to overcome this problem. The respondents faced different problems that were created looser financially in the homestead agroforestry. The relationship between tree knowledge of respondent family and their knowledge of agroforestry status was 0.814**. Based on the computed ‘r’ value the relationship between tree knowledge of respondent and knowledge of agroforestry was significant at 0.01 level of significance and followed a positive relationship. The good quality seeds/ seedlings, fertilizer and plant protection should be available. Seed collection was very important component of agriculture and all of the respondents' economy was agrobased. The homestead owner should be trained by the GOs or NGOs about homestead agroforestry knowledge. Providing suggestion by extension workers, training and loan to execute GOs and NGOs of their char land farmer homestead agroforestry knowledge.