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Ecological and Economical Significance of Homestead Forest to the Household of the Offshore Island in Bangladesh

Kazi Mohammad Masum
Dulahazara Safari Park, Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division, BFRI Campus, Sholoshahor, Chittagong, Bangladesh;

Mohammed Shafiul Alam
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh

M. M. Abdullah-Al-Mamun
Department of Environmental Technology, Chittagong Polytechnic Institute, Chittagong.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An explanatory survey was conducted to assess the contribution of plant diversity to the ecological and socio-economic condition of the rural household in the offshore island of Bangladesh. Assessment was done by means of multistage random sampling. The homestead sizes of the study area were classified into 3 groups viz, large (>0.25 ha), medium (0.05-0.25 ha) and small (<0.05 ha) based on the result obtained from a preliminary survey, and a total of 45 homesteads, 15 from each group, were selected randomly for the study. The average annual income from homestead’s plant diversity varied from Tk 5730.00 (US$95.5) to Tk 17500.00 (US$291.67). The rural people were mainly dependent on their homegarden for woodfuel and nutritional requirement as forest was unavailable in the island. The rural people here also cultivated the plant species as a safety measure from frequent cyclone. Constraints hindering the development of homestead plantation were identified and suggestions were given such as the adequate supply of seedlings of fast growing native species and conservation of endangered species to meet the demand of the household as well as to keep ecological balance.

Keywords: Bangladesh; Demand; Economical significance; Homestead forest; Offshore island

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Homestead Agroforestry

Objectives:

Consequently, peoples in the homegarden of the offshore island, Sandwip has to depend fully on their homegarden plant resources. Again the ecological merits of homegarden are related to conservation of soil, water, nutrients and bio-diversity. Hence the present study was undertaken for identifying different ecological merits and also for evaluating the general information related to socio-economic and social benefits derived by the local people from their own homegarden.

Methodology:

Sandwip is on the Bay of Bengal occupying an area of 762.42 km². The ecological hazards hitting the area are frequently cyclones and storm surges of various intensities and exceptionally high tides resulting in salt water flooding of agricultural lands. The homesteads are often on raised lands and small. Because of continuous land erosion by the river, population increase and modernization, the size and shape of the homestead are decreasing day by day. Again the potentiality of home gardening is limited to some extent due to salinity.

Field investigations were conducted over a period of three months (July, August and September, 2007). Sandwip lies between latitude 22º22' N and 22º43' N and longitude 91º18'E and 91º34’E and is situated in the Bay of Bengal at Lower Meghna Estuary. According to statistical pocket book, Bangladesh 2005, total households of the upazila was 43292 (BBS 2005). Among 20 upazillas (Sub-district) of Chittagong district, Sandwip upazila was selected purposively as it was the only offshore island of the district, suitably representing the identical feature of island areas of Bangladesh. Three unions were selected randomly for the study out of 19 unions in Sandwip upazilla. From every union, one village forming a total of three villages viz, Harishpur, Musapur and Maitvanga were selected. Homegarden size (the area, a household occupy) was used as the basic for stratification as it was a critical variation in the economic study related to plant diversity. The homestead sizes of the study area were classified into 3 groups viz, large (>0.25 ha), medium (0.05-0.25 ha) and small (<0.05 ha) based on the result obtained from a preliminary survey using pre-tested questionnaire on the socioeconomic status of the households. The households from each selected union were randomly selected from a list of household according to farm size provided by Upazilla Porishad. A total of 45 households, 15 from each group (i.e. 5 of each group from each of the three villages of the Sandwip upazilla), were taken to represent the real situation with help of semi-structured questionnaires (that was surveyed door to door). Data on homegarden plant resources, their diversity, and the role of these resources on the ecological and economic status of the households were collected. Simple mathematical analysis was done for the interpretation of the data. Data were compiled and tabulated in functional ways.

Source of Information: Journal of Forestry Research (2008) 19(4):307?310

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI 10.1007/s11676-008-0055-y

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Our historical, cultural and ethical resources were in danger because of increasing unimagined human need (Agarwal 1990). Since the production unit of homestead was small and people lived there, it has been better prevented from the problems that are acute in the forestry sector. Moreover, homegarden were important source of supplementary food, fodder, fuelwood, first aid and timber resources for the households in the study area. It was reported that people exterminated many tree species from the forest and many were threatened by some man-made causes. At the same time it was observed that social attitude towards the homestead forestry was more or less positive. Finally it is recommended that as the ethical, aesthetic, cultural and economic values of plant diversity are increasingly recognized, it is necessary to take special attitude towards the conservation and proper management of homegarden plant diversity

Knowledge Management: Journal