Socio-cultural Impacts of Agroforestry Improvements in Narsingdi, Bangladesh

Abstract

This research investigates the potential socio-cultural impacts that might result from an agroforestry improvement project in two study communities of Narsingdi District, Bangladesh. A range of qualitative research methods are employed for the investigation. Results reveal that culture is significantly linked to agroforestry practices in the study communities, and the project might have impacts on important socio-cultural domains in addition to the expected changes in income and agricultural production. The specific socio-cultural impacts that are identified include: loss of sharing and exchanging system of planting materials associated with local species, increase in dependency on new species over local species, loss of farmers’ self-reliance and social differentiation. The study highlights the importance of understanding such socio-cultural impacts before the implementation of any development project so that the project can be designed in a way that is beneficial from a more holistic standpoint.