Md. Arafat Rahman :
The history of social forestry in Bangladesh is closely linked with the introduction of institutional forest extension activities. The tree planting campaign initially started for one day but later increased to one week, one month and last three months. The program was initially very limited and did not have much impact on the people. It fails to change the attitude of the extension workers or the minds of the people. As a result, landless people are kept away from engaging in afforestation activities. Some entrepreneurs took up social forestry project in Bangladesh. They took up the project in two remote hills called Betagi and Pamora in the remote area of Rangunia upazila of Chittagong district.
The social forestry program started from the group forestry project funded by the Asian Development Bank. The main component of the project was: 1. planting trees alongside roads, railways and embankments, 2. establishment of tree planting and agro-forestry demonstration farms in the barren forest lands through initiatives to supply fuel wood, 3. establishment of a Social Forestry Training Institute, 4. provide training and equipment to employees as institutional support, 5. training arrangements to create awareness among different classes of people, and 6. establishment of regional and divisional offices in the project area.
Following the success of the group-based afforestation project, the Asian Development Bank approved the Thana afforestation and nursery development project. The objective of the project was to create a forest by involving the local people in the deforested Shalban, establishment of agro-forestry farm on the basis of partnership in uncovered evicted Shalban, forestation on land outside the Water Development Board area.
Development of former group based forest growth centers, upgrading and maintenance of Forestry Extension Nursery and Training Center (FENTC), production and distribution of saplings during the project period, training of village leaders, local supervisors, thana agricultural officers and planting assistants, gardeners, staff and officers of the forest department, establishment of more nurseries in Thana Complex, creation of slum forest along roads, railways and canal embankments, production and distribution of saplings in newly formed Thana Nurseries and setting up of private nurseries through training and financial assistance to entrepreneurs.
A pilot project is to be developed under the Extension Branch of the Forest Department. Under this project, participatory agro-forestry activities will be started. Recruitment of consultants and project development has already been completed, but field testing has not yet begun. The objective of this project is to reduce the loss of life and property due to cyclone by planting more trees in the project area. Green belt construction will be implemented by involving non-governmental organizations and increasing coastal tree planting activities among the local population.
Agro forestry is primarily concerned with social forestry and home forestry with the aim of harmonizing agriculture and forest use. Its main purpose is to grow a tree or any similar fast-growing plant with the crop. An important sustainable land management strategy is the simultaneous use of the same land for a variety of agricultural activities, including agro forestry, forest and animal husbandry activities. Although it is a traditional practice, depending on the location of the land, region and environment, this method can be turned into a more realistic and dynamic model.
Apart from providing basic necessities to the people, agro forestry also plays an important role in maintaining the balance in the environment of a place. Agribusiness is essential as a socio-economic initiative to solve food problems, prevent desertification, rural and suburban development, national forest conservation and employment, and to make the best use of different land levels. The agro forestry system helps in maintaining the natural equilibrium by creating opportunities for mutual development between forest trees and crop plants.
Although agro forestry is relatively widespread in Bangladesh, its management is very poor. Tree selection and planting techniques are done in most cases, but the country is largely dependent on the vegetation growing around the homestead. As a result of population growth, rapid urbanization and other development activities, the agrarian system is rapidly declining. In many cases, about 10 percent of the home plants are cut down every year without planting new trees. Recently, emphasis has been laid on planting more and more varieties of trees in the vicinity of agricultural lands.
Social forestry involves the local poor as the beneficiaries. They are actively involved in the adoption and implementation of afforestation plans and maintenance, control and management of forest resources, distribution of dividends and reforestation. The main goal of social forestry is to ensure social and economic benefits to the landless, poor, widows and destitute rural people. The main objective of social forestry is to help the poor to become self-reliant by creating employment opportunities and to meet their food, fodder, fuel, furniture and capital needs.
Social forestry is playing an important role in creating nurseries, creating forest resources by planting trees in marginal and fallow lands, protection of degraded forests and increasing productivity, environmental development and conservation of biodiversity, empowerment and leadership of women and above all employment and poverty alleviation.
The government brought social forestry into the legal framework with the incorporation of the 1927 Forest Act. To further strengthen social forestry, the government introduced the Social Forestry Rules. Apart from this, investment opportunities have been created for the local people for afforestation in the government forest lands. However, large scale social forestry in Bangladesh has not yet achieved significant success due to lack of participation of local people. The active participation of the public, especially women, must be ensured for the management of forest resources.
(Arafat Rahman is Asst. Officer, Career and Professional Development Services Department, Southeast University).
