Conservation (May 2022)
Agroforestry, Livelihood and Biodiversity Nexus: The Case of Madhupur Tract, Bangladesh
Abstract
Agroforestry has long been considered one of the most important land-use practices for conserving species while also meeting the fundamental requirements of millions of poor people in developing countries. Thus, the objective of the study was to determine the impacts of agroforestry practices on the livelihood development of rural farmers and biodiversity conservation potency in the Madhupur tract, Bangladesh. The study was conducted in the Madhupur tract, a famous agroforestry region in Bangladesh, using a mix-method approach to data collection, such as face-to-face interviews of 100 agroforestry farmers for livelihood analysis and using sampling techniques across 50 quadrats (20 m × 20 m) for measuring biodiversity. The results showed that the agroforestry practices significantly increased farm income and provided more benefits to rural farmers. Agroforestry farmers were able to build a social platform while simultaneously increasing their capability through training programs. As a result, the development of agroforestry farmers’ livelihood capital was significant. At the same time, the agroforestry practices introduced 34 plant species into the bare forestland and, therefore, provided higher-quality habitats for biodiversity conservation. The fast-growing tree species, mainly Acacia (diversity index of 0.366), in association with partial shade-loving crops such as pineapple, turmeric, and ginger, were the most dominant species in the agroforestry practices of the Madhupur tract. The study also revealed that agroforestry serves as a wildlife corridor and attracts birds for feeding and breeding. Finally, the agroforestry of the Madhupur tract is a viable land-use practice for biodiversity conservation and livelihood development of rural farmers in Bangladesh, and it is highly suggested that it be strengthened and disseminated.
Keywords
