J. Sci. Technol. Environ. Inform. | Volume 08, Issue 01, 574-582| https://doi.org/10.18801/jstei.080119.59
Article type: Research article, Article received: 17.09.2019; Revised: 26.09.19; First published online: 25 October 2019
Article type: Research article, Article received: 17.09.2019; Revised: 26.09.19; First published online: 25 October 2019
Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation
AFM Zakaria and Nur Mohammad Majumder
Department of Anthropology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
✉ Corresponding author: [email protected] (Majumdar N. M.)
Department of Anthropology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
✉ Corresponding author: [email protected] (Majumdar N. M.)
Abstract
Khasi is one of the major tree-crops-farming ethnic communities of North-East Bangladesh. In this paper, their farming and forestry knowledge is revealed in order to realize the importance of environmental preservation and conservation. What way Khasi administers hill farming practice with deeming locally derived knowledge and why they conserve forest and forestry in terms of agricultural extension without destroying the forest. To understand these issues local people’s climate resilience farming practice and information has been collected through a qualitative method by applying observation, in-depth interview and collective discussion methods from local participants. Data has been analyzed following thematic and descriptive way and findings are conceptualized as research objectives. This study has explored that Khasis’ integrated farming efforts that facilitate to uphold local peoples’ subsistence, greenery landscape, and livelihood security, including essential eco-friendly forest conservation. The study findings also have shown how Khasi agroforestry and cultivation are developed by using local knowledge for improving the rural community, including tree crop farming with the conservation of bio-cultural diversity, and sustainable management of agro-ecosystem.
Key Words: Agroforestry, Livelihood, Tree Conservation and Eco-friendly Environment
Khasi is one of the major tree-crops-farming ethnic communities of North-East Bangladesh. In this paper, their farming and forestry knowledge is revealed in order to realize the importance of environmental preservation and conservation. What way Khasi administers hill farming practice with deeming locally derived knowledge and why they conserve forest and forestry in terms of agricultural extension without destroying the forest. To understand these issues local people’s climate resilience farming practice and information has been collected through a qualitative method by applying observation, in-depth interview and collective discussion methods from local participants. Data has been analyzed following thematic and descriptive way and findings are conceptualized as research objectives. This study has explored that Khasis’ integrated farming efforts that facilitate to uphold local peoples’ subsistence, greenery landscape, and livelihood security, including essential eco-friendly forest conservation. The study findings also have shown how Khasi agroforestry and cultivation are developed by using local knowledge for improving the rural community, including tree crop farming with the conservation of bio-cultural diversity, and sustainable management of agro-ecosystem.
Key Words: Agroforestry, Livelihood, Tree Conservation and Eco-friendly Environment
Article Full-Text PDF
59.08.01.19_are_khasis_of_bangladesh_eco-friendly_agro_manager_reflections_on_hill_farming_practices_and_forest_conservation.pdf | |
File Size: | 673 kb |
File Type: |
Share This Article
|
|
Article Citations
MLA
Zakaria and Majumder “Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation”. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics 08(01), (2019): 574-582.
APA
Zakaria, A. F. M. and Majumder, N. M. (2019). Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics, 08(01), 574-582.
Chicago
Zakaria, A. F. M., Majumder, N. M. “Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation”. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics 08(01), (2019) 574-582.
Harvard
Zakaria, A. F. M. and Majumder, N. M. 2019. Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics, 08(01), pp. 574-582.
Vancouver
Zakaria, AFM and Majumder, NM. Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics. 2019 October 08(01), 574-582.
Zakaria and Majumder “Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation”. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics 08(01), (2019): 574-582.
APA
Zakaria, A. F. M. and Majumder, N. M. (2019). Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics, 08(01), 574-582.
Chicago
Zakaria, A. F. M., Majumder, N. M. “Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation”. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics 08(01), (2019) 574-582.
Harvard
Zakaria, A. F. M. and Majumder, N. M. 2019. Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics, 08(01), pp. 574-582.
Vancouver
Zakaria, AFM and Majumder, NM. Are Khasis of Bangladesh Eco-Friendly Agro Manager? Reflections on Hill Farming Practices and Forest Conservation. Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics. 2019 October 08(01), 574-582.
References
- Ahasan, M., Chowdhary, M. A. and Quadir, D. (2010). Variability and trends of summer monsoon rainfall over Bangladesh. Journal of Hydrology and Meteorology, 7(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhm.v7i1.5612
- Alam, M. and Mohiuddin, M. (1995). Conservation of tree diversity through betel-leaf (Piper betel) based agroforestry in Sylhet. Bangladesh Journal of Forest Science, 24(2), 49-53.
- Arnold, J. M. and Dewees, P. A. (1997). Farms, trees and farmers: Responses to agricultural intensification. London: Earthscan Publications.
- Bertocci, P. J. (1989). Resource development and ethnic conflict in Bangladesh: The case of the Chakmas in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Religious and Ethnic Minority Politics in South Asia.
- Bregman, L. (1993). Comparison of the erosion control potential of agroforestry systems in the Himalayan region. Agroforestry Systems, 21(2), 101-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00705223
- Gangwar, A. K. and Ramakrishnan, P. S. (1989). Ecosystem function in a Khasi village of the desertified Cherrapunji area in northeast India. Proceedings: Plant Sciences, 99(3), 199-210.
- (GOB) Government of Bangladesh (1994). Bangladesh National Forest Policy 1994. Asian Development Bank/UNDP/FAO-BGD, Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, pp. 56–63.
- Guha, R. and Gadgil, M. (1995). Ecology and Equity: The use and abuse of nature in contemporary India. London and New York: Routledge.
- Gurdon, P. R. T. (1914). The Khasis. London: Macmillan and Company, limited.
- Haider, M. R., Khair, A., Rahman, M. M. and Alam, M. K. (2013). Indigenous management practices of betel-leaf (Piper betle L.) cultivation by the Khasia community in Bangladesh. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 12, 231-239.
- Hussain, M., Islam, Q., Tarafdar, M., Zashimuddin, M, and Ahmed, A. (1989). Assistance to the Second Agricultural Project-Bangladesh, Status report on the activities of the Silvicultural Research Division, BFRI, Chittagong. Fo: DP (No. 6). BGD/83/101, Working Paper.
- Islam, Z. and Shafie, H. (2017). Anthropology of Climate Change: Culture and Adaptation in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Climate Change Trust and the Department of Anthropology.
- Jeeva, S., Laloo, R. C. and Mishra, B. P. (2006). Traditional agricultural practices in Meghalaya, North East India. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 5(1), 7-18.
- Khaleque, K. (1998). Ethnic communities of Bangladesh. In P. Gain (Ed.), Bangladesh land forest and forest people (pp.1-26). Dhaka: Society for Environment and Human Development.
- Khan, M. (1998). Prospects of ethnobotany and ethnobotanical research in Bangladesh. In R. Banik, M. K. Alam, S. J. Pei and A. Rastogi (Eds.), Applied ethnobotany (pp. 24-27). Chittagong, Bangladesh: BFRI.
- Kumar, B. M. (2007). Home garden-based indigenous fruit tree production in peninsular India. In O. A.-. RRB Leakey (Ed.), Indigenous fruit trees in the tropics: Domestication, utilization and commercialization (pp. 84-99). UK: CABI. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845931100.0084
- Kumar, B. M., George, S. J. and Chinnamani, S. (1994). Diversity, structure and standing stock of wood in the home gardens of Kerala in peninsular India. Agroforestry Systems, 25(3), 243-262. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00707463
- Lamb, D. (2003). Is it possible to reforest degraded tropical lands to achieve economic and also biodiversity benefits? RAP Publication (FAO).
- Leakey, R. and Tchoundjeu, Z. (2001). Diversification of tree crops: Domestication of companion crops for poverty reduction and environmental services. Experimental Agriculture, 37(03), 279-296. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479701003015
- Nath, T. K., Inoue, M. and Myant, H. (2005). Small-scale agroforestry for upland community development: A case study from Chittagonj Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Forest Research, 10(6), 443-452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-005-0171-x
- Nath, T., Inoue, M., Islam, M. and Kabir, M. (2002). Khasia tribe of northeastern Bangladesh: Their socio-economic status, hill farming practices and ethno-medicinal knowledge. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Mountain Farming held at Uttarancal, India, 19-21 November.
- Patam, R. (2005). The Khasi people history, heritage and Culture. Nilkheyet, Dhaka: Silvanus Lamin.
- Perroni, E. (2017). Five Indigenous Farming Practices Enhancing Food Security, Resilience.
- Saha, N. (1998). A study of forest industries of Bangladesh. Bulletin of the Kochi University Forests (Japan) (25), 1-107.
- Saha, N. and Azam, M. A. (2004). The indigenous hill-farming system of Khasia tribes in Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh: status and impacts. Small-scale Forest Economics, Management and Policy, 3(2), 273-281.
- Talang, F. B. (2013). The role of khasi in conservation of biodiversity and environment. Ecology and Environment, 10(4), 198-202.
- Thrupp, L. A. (2002). Linking Agricultural Biodiversity and Food Security: the Valuable Role of Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Agriculture, International Affairs, Vol. 76: 2. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.00133
- Tripura, P. and Harun, (2003). Parbotto chotrograme jumchash, (Jhum Cultivation in Chittagong Hill Tracts,) SHED.
- USAID (2006). Management Plans for Lawachara National Park, IRG, Washington.
- Zakaria, A. F.M. (2015). State Making and Subject Managing into the Lawachara National Park of West Bhanugach Jungle Mahal in Bangladesh: A Study on Place, People. Property and Nature (Unpublished Thesis Paper), Memorial University, Canada.
© 2019 The Authors. This article is freely available for anyone to read, share, download, print, permitted for unrestricted use and build upon, provided that the original author(s) and publisher are given due credit. All Published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Journal of Science, Technology and Environment Informatics, EISSN 2409-7632.