Can homegardens help save forests in Bangladesh? Domestic biomass fuel consumption patterns and implications for forest conservation in south-central Bangladesh
|
Sharif Ahmed Mukul1,2*, Mashiur Rahman Tito2,3 and Shifath Ahmed Munim4
1 Tropical Forestry Group, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia 2 Centre for Research on Land-use Sustainability, Maijdi, Noakhali 3800, Bangladesh 3 Research and Innovation, mPower Social Enterprises Limited, Banani, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh 4 Architecture Discipline, Science, Engineering and Technology School, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, Bangladesh *Corresponding author |
|
|
ABSTRACT: We conducted an exploratory survey in south-central Bangladesh to realize the contribution of homegardens to household domestic biomass fuel consumption. Households were placed into categories based on their land holdings. A total of thirty households were interviewed to understand their domestic fuel consumption pattern as well as the role played by homegardens in meeting their biomass fuel requirements. This study suggested that the majority of the households in the area rely extensively on homegardens to meet their domestic fuel requirements. 58% of the households biomass fuel were drawn from homegardens, followed by neighbours (16%), markets (12%) and from public/fallow land (14%). 47 species were identified from the homegardens that were used by the respondents as fuel. Fuelwood was a major type of biomass fuel used by the households, contributing to about 56% of households total biomass fuel consumption, followed by dried leaves (21%), dung cake/sticks (14%), and crop residues (6%). As homegardens were found to provide a valuable alternative source of biomass fuel, it was concluded that a rich homegarden system near forest regions should be supported in order to reduce pressure on the country’s remaining forests. Governments can facilitate this by granting marginal households access to trees in fallow lands, as well as public places including roads, railways and river banks.
Key words: biomass fuel, domestic cooking, homegarden, forest conservation, deforestation Subject areas: Asia, Bangladesh, Homegardens, Fuel consumption, Forest protection Recommended citation: Mukul, S.A., Tito, M.R., Munim, S.A., 2014. Can homegardens help save forests in Bangladesh? Domestic biomass fuel consumption patterns and implications for forest conservation in south-central Bangladesh. International Journal of Research on Land-use Sustainability 1: 18-25. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.3049.1848 |
Received:
April 1, 2014 Accepted: May 25, 2014 Communicated by: Dr. Mohammad Shaheed Hossain Chowdhury Shinshu University Japan Download: |
