ASSESSING FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION POTENTIAL OF CROPLAND AGROFORESTRY IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

Agroforestry serves as a vital strategy for enhancing climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and sustaining rural livelihoods in northern Bangladesh. This study aimed to evaluate farmers‘ perceptions of climate change, the role of agroforestry practices in mitigating its impacts, and the contribution of cropland agroforestry to carbon sequestration. The research was conducted from February to May 2025 in five villages of Sundorpur Union under Kaharole Upazila, Dinajpur district. A total of 63 cropland agroforestry farms covering 2.52 hectares were randomly selected. Semi-structured interviews captured demographic and socioeconomic data, while biophysical data were collected from 20 m × 20 m quadrats. Findings revealed that farmers were experiencing climate-related stresses such as drought, rising temperatures, and irregular rainfall. Consequently, 71.43% reported increased irrigation demand, 52.4% cited rising input costs, and 30.16% experienced reduced crop yields due to climate change. Biophysical assessments recorded 13 woody perennial species comprising 715 individual trees. Areca catechu showed the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) at 69.08%, followed by Eucalyptus camaldulensis (56.12%) and Swietenia macrophylla (50.79%). Biodiversity indices indicated moderate diversity, with a Shannon–Wiener index of 1.84 and Margalef‘s richness index of 1.521. Swietenia macrophylla had the highest basal area (10.6 m²/ha), while Areca catechu had the highest stand density (104.37 individuals/ha). Eucalyptus camaldulensis contributed most to above-ground biomass (52.27 Mg ha⁻ ¹), followed by Swietenia macrophylla (23.89 Mg ha⁻ ¹). The total woody biomass was estimated at 133.00 Mg ha⁻ ¹, with a total carbon stock of 66.50 Mg C ha⁻ ¹. Despite these benefits, adoption of cropland agroforestry is limited by inadequate training, weak institutional support, and resource competition. Nevertheless, farmers recognized its potential in climate adaptation and ecosystem enhancement, highlighting the need for targeted policy support, capacity building, and continued research to strengthen its adoption under changing climatic conditions.