Improvement of Farmers’ Livelihood through Choi Jhal (Piper chaba)-Based Agroforestry System: Instance from the Northern Region of Bangladesh

One of the most significant linchpins of the socioeconomic and livelihood milieu for rural farmers around the world is agroforestry. Several agroforestry practices are being employed by farmers in Bangladesh’s northern region, with Choi Jhal (Piper chaba)-based agroforestry being one of the most pre...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Sustainability 2022-12, Vol.14 (23), p.16078
Main Authors:	Hemel, Syed Aflatun Kabir, Hasan, Mohammad Kamrul, Wadud, Md. Abdul, Akter, Rojina, Roshni, Nasima Akther, Islam, Md. Tariqul, Yasmin, Afsana, Akter, Keya
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Agroforestry Biodiversity Capital assets Carbon sequestration Climate change Data collection Data entry Farmers Fodder Food availability Food security Piper chaba Sustainability Sustainable development Sustainable practices Timber
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	One of the most significant linchpins of the socioeconomic and livelihood milieu for rural farmers around the world is agroforestry. Several agroforestry practices are being employed by farmers in Bangladesh’s northern region, with Choi Jhal (Piper chaba)-based agroforestry being one of the most prevalent. Numerous researches have been conducted in different regions of Bangladesh to determine the potential livelihood for farmers who engage in diversified agroforestry, but hardly any comprehensive research has been carried out considering the aforementioned system as one of the most sustainable practices. To address this knowledge void, the present research was conducted in the Chinai union of Rajarhat Upazila in the Kurigram district of Bangladesh, surveying 105 Piper chaba farmers to assess the impact of this existing agroforestry system on their livelihood predicament. A mixed-method approach, including secondary data review, questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations, were used for data collection and triangulation. To evaluate livelihoods and the problem severity, the Livelihood Improvement Index (LII) and the Problem Facing Index (FPI) were utilized, respectively. The findings demonstrate that the most suitable tree for Piper chaba cultivation is the betel nut (74.3%), and the majority (64.8%) of farmers have 41 to 90 Piper chaba plants. By strengthening farmers’ constant availability of food, fruit, timber, fodder, and fuelwood, this agroforestry system has markedly increased the sustainability of their livelihoods. This practice is thought to boost farmers’ livelihood capitals, with natural capital improving the most, while social capitals improve the least. However, eight major problems have been identified that farmers face while growing the crop and these must be remedied if different livelihood capitals are to be vastly improved. This research gives a full insight into the current Piper chaba production scenario and livelihood dynamics of local farmers, allowing some bold propositions to be formulated for further upgrading of their subsistence.
ISSN:	2071-1050 2071-1050