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Practice of Aquasilviculture at Paikgachha Upazilla in Khulna District, Bangladesh

Mamata Hena Marium
Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

Arifa Sharmin*
Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

Rahul Biswas
Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Aquasilviculture is currently the most frequent land-use practice of the South-western part in Bangladesh. The study was carried out to explore the status, benefits, problems, management strategies and marketing preference of practicing aquasilviculture. The study was conducted over a period of three months from September to November 2017. Convenience sampling method was used to select a total of 90 respondents involved in aquasilviculture practices at Paikgachha Upazilla in Khulna district of Bangladesh. Data were collected with the aid of the semi-structured questionnaire administrated interpersonally to the respondents. Among the respondents, almost two-thirds (64%) of them practices aquasilviculture on their own land and near about one-fourth (22%) of the respondents use their leased land for practicing aquasilviculture. In the study area, 63% of the respondents practice aquasilviculture in the land which was previously used for only paddy cultivation and 37% of respondents used their land only for fish culture. The study showed that farmers planted mainly A. saman, S. macrophylla, D. sissoo, A. Indica, A. indica, A nilotica etc. as trees species and S. melongena, B. alba, L. cylindrical, A. esculentus, I. aquatica, L. niger, S. tuberosum etc. as agricultural crops and and cultured shrimp, golda, mud crab and freshwater fishes such as O. mossambicus, C. catla, L. rohita, C. mrigala, H. molitrix, M. tengara into and/or besides their fish ponds. The management techniques in the study area involve soil working, thinning, pruning weeding, protection and application of fertilizer. Aquasilviculture system was contributed to meet the demand of fish, vegetable, timber, fuelwood, fruit and fodder as well as food and nutritional security. The ownership of land, lack of capital and natural calamities are the major problems in the study area.

Keywords: Agroforestry; Aquasilviculture; Bangladesh; Paikgachha Upazilla

Location: Paikgachha Upazilla in Khulna District, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-09-2017

End Date: 00-11-2017

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance, Profitability

Objectives:

The present study intends to provide information regarding the status, benefits, problems, management strategies and market preference of aquasilviculture at Paikgachha Upazila of Khulna district in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The study was carried out in Paikgachha Upazila in Khulna District of Bangladesh to explore the socio-economic condition of the farmers, operational land holding, types of trees, agricultural crops and fishes practices, management techniques and marketing facilities of aquasilviculture practice as well as some problems of the technique. The sampling design for the survey was purposive because of the uneven and discrete distribution of aquasilviculture land in the region. The sampling units were selected by Convenience sampling. Three unions named Chandkhali, Lascar and Garuikhali were selected by Convenience sampling method, where the aquasilviculture practices were most predominant. From every chosen union two villages were selected as sampling units, whereas fifteen respondents were considered from each village. In total, 90 respondents were selected for the study. The respondents were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data. Pre-testing of the questionnaire was done through a reconnaissance survey to know about the existing aquasilviculture of the study area to prepare a set of questionnaire to fulfill the study. The final survey was conducted during September-November 2017. To analyze data Microsoft Excel Version 10 has been used.

Source of Information: Research Article Advances in Agriculture, Horticulture and Entomology AAHE-115 ISSN 2690-1900

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In the study region, the livelihoods of a large number of farmers are associated with only fish farming when long-term waterlogging by saline water reduces soil fertility, declines in water quality cause various infectious fish diseases as well as it reduces freshwater wetlands and rice growing areas. Nowadays, aquasilviculture system means the combination of fishes, trees and crops on the same pieces of land have recognized as much effective technology where land is degraded and fertility is decreased due to the saltiness of the water. It provides alternative livelihood opportunities for the rural poor, especially small land holding farmers can support their manifold needs by practicing this system. For this reason, aquasilviculture system is practiced as the best alternative as well as a supplementary source of income to the rural poor/farmers which provide fish, trees and crops all together that can fulfill the diverse needs of them. On the other hand, there are good market facilities for both shrimp and annual crops. Natural calamity often occurs in the study area that causes various trees and crops disease as well as massive mortality of fish. Besides, the region is most vulnerable to the impact of climate change because of its geographical location, when aquasilviculture practice is more adaptive to this situation compared to other land use practice. Risk analysis in aquasilviculture needs to be undertaken to evaluate the danger and weakness of aquasilviculture practice in adapting to natural calamity and/or climate change. For this reason, research and development institutions need to disseminate scientific information on well planned aquasilviculture practices to the rural poor/farmers. Aquasilviculture practice could be a climate-smart and environment friendly practice in the area through increasing green coverage and at the same time for the betterment of the livelihood of local peoples and farmers.

Knowledge Management: Journal