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Forest Villagers of Eastern Region of Bangladesh: a Socio-economic Study

MD. Shah Newaz
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong - 4331, Bangladesh.

MD. Alamgir Kabir
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong - 4331, Bangladesh.

M. Mosharraf Hossain
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong - 4331, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A socio-economic survey was conducted among forest villagers of Kaukhali upazila of Rangamati hill district and Rangunia upazila of Chittagong district. Nuclear families were predominant with average family size of 5.64. Average land holding was 3 acres per family with 0.33 acres of homestead of which about 45% was almost devoid of forest cover. They showed preference to fruit trees for homestead. 66 % of the population was below 30 years of age. About 75% of the forest villagers were completely illiterate and primary, secondary or tertiary literacy rate was much lower than the country average as well. Agriculture was the major income generating activity and they earned very negligible amount from Forest Department as labour wages. Monthly average income per family varied between Tk. 2000 and Tk. 4000 with an average of Tk. 2650. The villagers were dependent on forest for fuel (95%), building materials (90%), raw materials for cottage industries - in which 67% of the families were involved.

Keywords: Forest dependency, NTFPs, Homestead forest.

Location: Kaukhali upazila of Rangamati and Rangunia upazila of Chittagong district

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

To explore the socio-economic characteristics of the Forest Villagers

Methodology:

Kaukhali upazila of Rangamati Hill district and Rangunia upazila of Chittagong district were selected for the study. Four forest villages - taking two from each of the upazilas and twelve households from each of these villages were randomly selected for the study. After the selection of the respondents an extensive semi structured questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area along with intensive personal observations. The questionnaire was worked out in advance and pre-tested for intelligibility. The respondents were interviewed to acquire information relating to family size, land holdings, educational status, income distribution, homestead forest composition and condition, forest dependency etc. Data on marketable products and marketing of products, transport and other facilities of forest villages were also collected. The household heads were the usual respondents and when found necessary other members were interviewed as well.

Source of Information: JOURNAL OF FORESTRY & ENVIRONMENT, Vol- 3, Pag:37 - 43, 2005

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Considering existing poor facilities in forest villages of Bangladesh, in the light of the findings of the current study, we can equivocally suggest the Forest Department to provide more facilities to forest villagers. Forest villager concept in practice in the reserved forests is a rudimentary one. To attain proper services from the forest villagers without depriving them, permanent forest villages can be established just after ensuring their increased access to dedicated social services on the first place and providing them with direct access to larger markets for their products avoiding the existing middlemen system on the second place. The forest villagers, as they demanded, are to be provided with housing, school and medical facilities and if possible, subsidized rationing. An effective hill farming system may be developed to ensure the intensive utilization of the land the forest villagers are allotted with.

Knowledge Management: Journal