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Agricultural Land Conversion in the Sub-urban Area: a Case Study of Rajshahi Metropolitan City

Md. Abdul Halim
Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Rajshahi

Md. Mizanoor Rahman
Associate Professor
Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Rajshahi

Md. Zahidul Hassan
Professor
Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Rajshahi

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Bangladesh is a land scarce country where per capita cultivated land is only 12.5 decimals. It is claimed that every year about one percent of farm land in the country is being converted to non-agricultural uses. The study is based mainly on field survey covering 2 villages (Narikel Baria and Baze Silinda) from 10 sub-urban villages around Rajshahi City Corporation under Paba Upazila of Rajshahi district. The study area was selected purposively and the respondents of this research work were selected randomly. The major focus was on to mention the general land use pattern of the area, estimates the agricultural land conversion besides determining the causes and consequences affecting such conversion. Both Narikel Baria and Baze Silinda villages were selected as study area because of its relatively higher growth in infrastructure. In order to fulfill the goal of this study, primary and secondary data were collected from various sources and to analyze and process of collected data the SPSS, Excel and Arc GIS software were used. Different types of descriptive statistics were applied for representing the analyzed data. It is observed that the land conversion form agriculture to non-agriculture allied in recent time is more than the previous time due to gradually increasing land demand in housing and relevant services which invites adverse impact on agricultural land as well as its dependent population. So, it is necessary to take integrated land-use planning to offer better options for the fulfillment of land demand both of housing and agricultural sectors.

Keywords: Land use; Agricultural land; Land conversion; Sub-urban area

Location: Rajshahi Metropolitan City

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

To examine the general land use pattern in the study area;
To analyze and detect the conversion of agricultural land of the area and
To find out the causes and consequences of agricultural land conversion in the study area.

Methodology:

For the study both exploratory and descriptive methods have been applied to fulfill the requirement of the objectives. However two sub-urban villages were selected through simple random sampling method and the sampled villages are Narikel Baria and Baze Silinda. The standardized questionnaire survey has been carried out at the household level in the sampled villages while checklist was used for data collection from group discussion, key informants and relevant institutions. Informal group discussion was made to get information regarding different issues relevant to the study. The available project baseline survey data (secondary data) has provided relevant and useful information for an analytical study focusing on the situation of various aspects of agricultural land conversion. For analyzing collected data EXCELL and SPSS software were used for tabulation, analysis and graphic presentation. Arc GIS 9.3 and Arc View 3.2 software were also exercised for mapping analysis. To find out the similarities and differences as well as relations among different quantitative variables selected in both Metropolitan City and its sub-urban areas several tests such as chi-square test and regression analysis were applied. Study Area Rajshahi is the Fourth metropolitan city of Bangladesh located in between longitude 88º28′E to 88º38′E and latitude 24º22′N to 24º26′ N. It situated in the north western hydrological region of Bangladesh which is well known as semi-arid region in Bangladesh. Rajshahi Metropolitan City is not fully bounded over by its sub-urban area also bounded by others urban areas such as Nawhata and Katakhali Paurashava, Padma River and rural dominated areas. The sub-urban areas are situated distinctly in three different places i.e. southwest and two different locations on north side in Paba Upazila (Map 1). The south-west sub-urban area consists of 3 villages while the north-west sub-urban area contains 3 villages and north-east sub-urban area includes 4 villages. However, the total sub-urban area is located under Paba Upazila Administrative Unit, which consists of 10 villages, and one side is bounded over by the rural area of Paba Upazila whereas another side is bounded over by the Rajshahi Metropolitan City. Rajshahi Metropolitan City covers an area of approximately 48 km² whereas the total area of suburban of Rajshahi Metropolitan City is 14.8 km² , which is about one-third of Rajshahi Metropolitan City.

Source of Information: J. Life Earth Sci., Vol. 8: 21-30, 2013 ISSN 1990-4827

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Due to uncontrolled population growth and economic development of sub-urban area, infrastructural land has increasingly expanded which encroached upon agricultural land more than previous. The food production is decreasing, food price rising and land fertility decreasing and these all are the result of rapid agricultural land conversion. Infrastructural development is the main causes of agricultural land conversion. Though the agricultural land of the study area gradually have been decreasing so, it is necessary to implement the existing plan of RDA to arrest the magnitude of agricultural land conversion. In summary, then, the key to good development policy, in general, and food policy, in particular, is not to stop the conversion of land because of conversion is inevitable and desirable. Good policy management, however, requires that the process of conversion is done rationally and that the productivity of the remaining resources in the agricultural sector is improved. Otherwise, the agricultural land will dropout.

Knowledge Management: Journal