Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Preference and Consumption Pattern of Horticultural Species in the Offshore Homestead Forest of Bangladesh

Kazi Mohammad Masum*
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Abdullah Al Mamun
Department of Environment, Bangladesh

Mohammad Mamun-Or-Rashid
Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University, Chittagong, Bangladesh

M. M. Abdullah-Al-Mamun
Research Assistant, IUCN – The World Conservation Union, Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mohammad Nabidul Islam
Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An explanatory survey was conducted to assess preference and consumption pattern of horticultural species, their sources, location-wise planting preferences and diversity of these species in the rural homestead forest of the offshore island of Bangladesh. Assessment was done through multistage random sampling. Based on homestead size respondents were categorized into small (0.05 ha), medium (0.05-0.25 ha) and large (0.25 ha) and twenty from each category were selected randomly for the study. The study revealed that most of the farmer (75.5%) preferred to plant fruit tree species for future plantation followed by timber species (62.2%). But fruit-bearing plants were being gradually replaced by some exotic timber species such as Swietenia mahagoni, Acacia auriculiformis, Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus spp., etc. Diversity and abundance of fruit species was found higher in almost all homestead. A total of 41 horticultural species were identified and seven horticultural species among them were recognized as the most preferred ones in the study area. Consumption pattern was chiefly to meet the nutritional demand and to gain a quick monetary benefit. Average annual income from horticultural species was 7,183.33 Taka (US$102).

Keywords: Preference, Horticultural species, Diversity, Offshore island, Bangladesh

Location: Sandwip, Chittagong

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Variety and Species

Commodity: Performance, Homestead Agroforestry

Objectives:

Thus the present study focuses preference and consumption pattern of horticultural species and the problems and remedial measures in relation to raising and management of horticultural species in the rural homegarden of the offshore island of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Sandwip is on the Bay of Bengal occupying an area of 762.42 km2 (BBS 2011). 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 size and shape of households are decreasing due to land erosion by river, population growth and modernization. Again the potentiality of home gardening is limited to some extent due to salinity. Field investigations were conducted over a period of six months (July-December, 2010). Sandwip lies between latitude 22^o 22' N and 22^o 43' N and longitude 91^o 18'E and 91^o 34'E. According to statistical pocket book, Bangladesh 2010, total households of the upazila was 43292 (BBS 2003). 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 offshore island areas of Bangladesh. Two unions were selected randomly for the study out of 19 unions in Sandwip upazilla. From every union, one village forming a total of two villages viz, Harishpur and Musapur were selected. Homegarden size (the area, a household occupy) was used as the basic for stratification. 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 60 households, 20 from each group (i.e. 10 of each group from each of the two villages), were taken to represent the real situation with help of semi-structured questionnaires (that was surveyed door to door).

Data on preference and consumption pattern of horticultural species, their sources, location wise planting preferences, diversity and frequency etc. were collected through interview using questionnaire. Density, Relative density as a quantitative structure, the Shanon-Winner index for diversity (Michale 1990), Diversity index (Odum 1971) as a measure of diversity were evaluated. Species Richness index and Species evenness index were also calculated.

Source of Information: Journal of Forest Science Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 75-83, May, 2012

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The homegarden is a good niche of multipurpose trees and shrubs. It is integrated part of family subsistence living. In Bangladesh about 49% people live below poverty line who are seriously affected from malnutrition and different diseases. Producing various nutritious foods around house is an important way of providing adequate and ready supply of food to the household members. Thus, selective plantation of fruit species in and around the homegarden can greatly influence the promotion of proper nutrition. Farmers are mostly concerned about improving the growth of the fruit trees in their homegardens. There are still immense scopes to improve technologies for species selection, clonal propagation, study on species interactions, soil management techniques, etc. Finally, in order to achieve a stable ecological balance and sustainable productivity of homegarden we should take proper initiative to re-introduce the rare indigenous fruit trees and carefully manage the existing fruit trees in the homegarden through improved management techniques.

Knowledge Management: Journal