Land Use Pattern Change and Farmers Perception Perspective: A Case of Khagrachari Hill District, Bangladesh

Abstract

The sole hilly region in Bangladesh is known as the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), which is comprised of the three hill districts of Khagrachari, Rangamati, and Bandarban. Due to population dynamics, economic development, climatic change, improved accessibility, and agricultural developments, land usage is changing at an increasingly rapid rate in the CHT. This research was carried out in Khagrachari Sadar upazila in the Khagrachari district of Bangladesh. This study looked at how farmers perceive changes in land use patterns and the factors that influence such perceptions. A total of 180 households were sampled using the proportional random sampling technique, and the survey was conducted using a previously created, closed-ended questionnaire. The average land ownership of the farmers was 4.22 acre, although the average agricultural and forest land holding was 1.37 acre and 1.54 acre, respectively. Although, the farmers also possessed considerable amount of vegetable land and flat land also and these lands were utilized to produce different types of vegetables, crops, fruit and timber trees. Average age of the farmers was 49.75 years and 32% of them did not receive any formal education. About 62% of them did not take part any agriculture related training program. Although, 95% of the farmers had medium to poor perception on land use pattern change. Moreover, many farmers perceived that currently overall soil fertility status of the hilly land had been decreased compared to 10 years back. In addition, out of thirteen attributes, four attributes, namely, educational attainment, family annula income, agricultural training received and agricultural land ownership had significant influence on the perception of land use pattern change by the respondents. The findings from the research can be used by the nation's decision-makers and planners to create future CHT land allocation policies.