International Journal of Agricultural Policy and Research Vol.8 (3), pp. 55-65, June 2020 Available online at https://www.journalissues.org/IJAPR/ https://doi.org/10.15739/IJAPR.20.007 Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article ISSN 2350-1561 Original Research Article Effects of land-use changes pattern on tree plantation: Evidence from gher land in Bangladesh Received 23 April, 2020 Revised 20 May, 2020 Accepted 23 May, 2020 Published 12 June, 2020 Devashish Kumar Ghosh1, The southwestern part of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate Md Nuralam Hossain2*, change due to its geographical settings. The adverse effects of climate change 3 force people to convert cultivable lands into gher practice for improving Md. Nazirul Islam Sarker livelihood. Therefore, the study aims to explore how land use pattern and influences tree plantation in gher land in Bangladesh. A quantitative Shahidul Islam4 dominant qualitative mixed method has been used, and data have been collected from 78 respondents comprising farmers practicing tree 1Forestry and Wood Technology plantation and those without tree plantation. This study reveals that the Discipline, Khulna University, ownership of gher has a significant impact on planting trees on gher dike. On Khulna-9208, Bangladesh. the other hand, the farmers with larger gher were more willing to have trees 2School of Environment and on their gher dike, whereas dike width more than 6ft is feasible to establish Ecology, Chongqing University, a plantation. 69% of the farmer has opined that they practice semi-extensive Chongqing 400045, China. production systems of gher management (without trees) followed by 44% of 3School of Political Science and gher management (with trees). Further, 79% of farmers of gher with trees Public Administration, Neijiang are well aware of the benefits of planting trees in gher dike, and they want to Normal University, Neijiang plant trees on gher dike willingly. In gher with trees, 62% of respondents 641100, China. were the owner and are willing to plant trees on their gher dike. On the 4Department of Geography and other hand, there was a 56% respondent in favor of gher without trees Environmental Studies, among whose 54% gher width is 6ft or more. The findings will help local University of Chittagong, farmers for developing awareness on the benefits of planting trees on gher Chattogram-4331, Bangladesh. dike to increase gher land productivity and maintain sustainable ecological balance. *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] Keywords: Dike width, Gher land, gher size, land use pattern, livelihood pattern, ownership, tree plantation. Tel.:+ +8801714897195 INTRODUCTION Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries (MVC) Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change in the world due to climate-induced natural disaster, and because of riverbank erosion, recurring floods, cyclone, the impact of disaster resulting from ecological destruction salinity intrusion, and tidal surge (Hossain et al., 2016; cause a severe hazard to livelihoods and the economic Hossain et al., 2019). These natural hazards adversely affect development of the country (Hossain et al., 2015; Sarker et the whole ecosystem, and also lead to loss of human life and al., 2019). It is situated the country in the low-lying Ganges- shelters, or the resources essential for their livelihoods Brahmaputra river delta, which are fertile plains in the (Ahamed et al., 2012; Sadekin et al., 2018b; Sarker et al., world. Concurrently, it is most vulnerable to river erosion, 2020b). According to the IPCC report (2007), agriculture is floods, and cyclones (Islam, 2012; Hossain et al., 2016; a dominant sector of Bangladesh's economy, and the Sadekin et al. 2018a;). The southwestern part of southwestern part of the country is very fertile for growing Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res. 56 rice, which supports most livelihoods. Due to the recurring al., 2018). Thus, tree plantation will affect local and regional coastal flood, water and soil are converted into gher land water bodies and subsequent aquaculture activities (shrimp cultivation) (Ahmed, 2013). For example, in both (Potapov et al., 2017). The southwestern coastal region of Khulna and Satkhira districts,50% of cultivable agricultural Bangladesh has the cultivable mixed farmland that has been land has been shifted into shrimp farming to resume changed gradually into gher land with no tress plantation livelihoods (IPCC, 2007). Zarin (2015) found that shrimp on dike. Besides, a number of gher land farmers have no farming (gher) upsets the female labor livelihoods and interest in planting trees on their gher dike because of the affect their income and occupation, food consumption and negative perception of co-management of trees fish and also lead to the hazardous working environment. Hoque et crop cultivation. The factors like dike width, ownership of al. (2018) reported that the rapid rise of the aquaculture the gher land, gher management, and gher size are industry (shrimp gher) due to social-ecological changes and responsible for the interest in planting trees on gher dike climate change has significantly affected the livelihoods of (Rahman et al., 2013). coastal communities in the southwestern region of Khulna, Bangladesh. Rahman et al. (2013), investigated the constant and unregulated growth of shrimp farm (gher) has MATERIALS AND METHODS immense impacts on human health, environment, and sustainability. Study area Over time, the land use pattern in Bangladesh has been transforming. Although Bangladesh is considered a land- The present study was carried out at Moikhali village under scarce country and per capita cultivated land is only 12.5 Dumuria Upazila of Khulna district, Bangladesh, which is decimals (Rahman et al., 2014; Al-Amin, 2018).The per bordered in the north by Manirampur, Abhaynagar and capita cultivable land is decreasing as the total population Phultala Upazilas, on the south by Batiaghata and continues to increase (Islam et al., 2019).To meet the basic Paikgachha Upazilas, in the east by Khan Jahan Ali, demand for overpopulation, exploitation of natural khalishpur and Sonadanga than as, in the west by resources, and environmental degradation has appeared Batiaghata, Tala and Keshabpur Upazilas. The Dhumuria (Hossain, 2001). The land productivity of Bangladesh is Upazila is located between 22°39' and 22°56' N and 89°15' comparatively low compared to other countries around the and 89°32' E (Figure 1) with a total area of 454.23 km2 and world (Mondal, 2008; Kibria and Jashimuddin, 2012), and about 25 km southwest of the Khulna district, headquarters to maximize the land productivity, the farmers use the of the southwestern part of Bangladesh. The climatic existing farmland in the diverse way (Nicholls et al., 2018). condition of the study area comprises an annual average Khulna is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh, maximum temperature and the minimum temperature to where cultivable land use pattern has been changing in the be 35.5°C (95.9°F), and 12.5°C (54.5°F). The annual average last few decades drastically (Mondal, 2008; Sadekin et al., rainfall is 1710 mm, and the soil condition is alluvial 2018c). This change has been occurring mainly to expand floodplain. The four main seasons are pre-monsoon the shrimp culture. Majority of the cultivable agriculture (March-May), monsoon (June-September), post-monsoon land has been converted into aquaculture practice due to a (October-November), and the dry winter season handsome amount of profits(Wilson et al., 2017). This (December-February). The highest and lowest potential aquaculture practice converts cultivable lands into gher evapotranspiration is 128.98 mm and 65.17 mm practice for bringing change in farmers livelihoods pattern, (Banglapedia, 2015). Argo-ecologically, the study village is affecting the socio-economic condition and ecosystem of located in the Ganges tidal floodplain (Rahman et al., 2014). the area (Rahman et al., 2013; Ahmed, 2013). In contrast, the monoculture is gradually replacing with a Data collection methods and analysis mixed culture, which ultimately leads to reducing crop diversification (Sarker et al., 2020c). As a result, the area The study was conducted using both primary and has become treeless gradually, which also affects local and secondary data. Primary data were gathered through regional climatic conditions. These changes in land use various techniques such as site observation, questionnaire patterns are immensely pressure on ecosystem services survey, focus group discussion (FGD) with gher farmers and livelihoods (Sarker et al., 2020a). The benefits of tree and local communities, and key informant interview (KII). products are extensive, like wood, fibres, food, poisons, and The data were collected of gher land morphology, benefits other chemicals due to the direct interactions of trees of tree, perception on the influence of trees with fish plantations on aquaculture (Swapan and Gavin, 2011; production, the response of planting trees, dike stability, Ahmed, 2013). The ecological interactions between trees gher management strategies, the sustainability of gher and aquaculture are evident, on both micro and macro practices and ownership of the gher land using a semi- scales (Islam et al., 2019). Trees play a vital environmental structured questionnaire. A total of 35 questions have function, physical structure, shade, reducing soil erosion, designed and were asked to farmers, labours, gher ameliorating soil chemical