Transformative adaptation in agriculture: A case of agroforestation in Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract Agriculture is one of the risky sectors that directly related with climate change impacts in Bangladesh. Various organizations have been working to improve the resilience of farming systems and rural livelihoods. A notable measure of agricultural adaptation is agroforestation, which denotes a process of mixed cultivation of trees and crops grown in the same plot of land. The country is recently experiencing a huge agroforestation that arguably helps to maintain agricultural productivity and incomes as well as protect rural biodiversity. This article tries to explore the causes, contributions and challenges of practicing agroforestation as a process of transformative adaptation in the Barind Tract of Bangladesh. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data. A total of 13 farmers, 8 agricultural labourers and 2 agricultural inputs suppliers and 2 agricultural officials were interviewed. Questionnaire survey was conducted with 90 farmers from different study areas. The article has found that the farmers have accepted transformation in agricultural pattern by incorporating various fruit-dominated farming systems instead of rice-dominated monoculture. The results also suggest that unreliable rainfall and temperature variations, shortage of laborer for rice farming, economic benefits, and availability of agricultural inputs are the major causes of adaptation of agroforestation. In addition, agroforestation has brought several challenges which includes lacking in proper training of farmers for farm management, financial support for big investment and risk of joblessness to the marginal community. However, an integrated agricultural and rural development policy considering collaboration between farmers and relevant stakeholders is imperative for sustainable agroforestation.