THE ROLE OF PARTICIPATORY SOCIAL FORESTRY IN THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE RURAL POOR: A CASE STUDY OF DHAKA FOREST DIVISION IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

ABSTRACT The people of Bangladesh, a densely populated country, depend heavily on forests for fuel wood, timber and other subsistence. Due to huge biotic and abiotic pressure, forest resources of the country have been depleted greatly. Participatory social forestry was introduced in Bangladesh in early 1980s to reduce the rampant rate of deforestation. Few studies are available on social forestry in Bangladesh. This research was done in degraded Sal (Shorea robusta) forests under the Dhaka Forest Division. Due to its location in the central part of the country, this forest is subject to tremendous illicit cutting and land encroachment. The research was focused on the role of participatory social forestry in the enhancement of the socioeconomic condition of the poor. All three types of plantation (viz. woodlots, agroforestry plantings and strip plantations) raised under social forestry were financially profitable. Net Present Values to the poor (NPV) were highest in the strip plantations (US$ 7,857) followed by woodlot plantations (US$ 4,350) and lowest in agroforestry plantings (US$ 4,222). On an average, each participant received, US$ 3,338, US$ 3,092 and US$ 1,786 from the, woodlot plantations, agroforestry plantings and strip plantations respectively. This additional forest based income was a significant contribution to the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the poor. It is found that individuals recognized as encroachers in the past, have now become vital stakeholders in forests and recognized members in their community. Negative findings of the programmes are that after 25 years of social forestry practice in Bangladesh, poor people still remain skeptical towards the programme due to various administrative blocks and shortcomings and a lack of policy instruments such as the granting of usufruct rights that affect the sustainability of the programme. Nevertheless compared with the failures of traditional forest management, participatory social forestry is a far better option.