Author: Golam Rasul
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Diss. no.RD-03-04
Year: 2003
Academic Program: Regional and Rural Development Planning (RRDP)
Type: Thesis (Ph.D.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2003
Examination Committee: Gopal B. Thapa (Chairperson); Michael A. Zoebisch, Soparth Pongquan (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Steep slopes and heavy seasonal rainfall have made most part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), a hilly region in the eastern part of Bangladesh, vulnerable to soil erosion. Shifting cultivation, locally known asjhum, is an extensive land use system for growing crops over one or two seasons and then moving on to another plot. Increased pressure on land due to population growth and other competitive uses, has forced farmers to reduce the fallow cycle sharply. Growing annual crops with short fallow period by slash-and-burn on sloping lands, which is otherwise suitable for perennial crops, has accelerated deforestation, soil erosion and nutrient depletion and resulted in declining yields and income for the poor tribal people depending on agriculture for sustenance. Challenges faced by the government are how to promote locally suitable land use systems, which can conserve resources and provide sufficient income to the farmers to improve their living conditions. Despite concern, little effott has been made to understand the underlying factors, which influence land use change. A review of experiences gained elsewhere suggests that land use decision-making is a complex process influenced by a host of biophysical, socioeconomic, institutional, and policy factors operate at different levels, macro, meso and micro. To explore the factors that determine the land use system, a comprehensive framework was adopted combining national, regional and household level factors. The study was conducted at three different levels, macro (entire CHT), meso (village level) and micro (household level). Information was collected both from primary and secondary sources. Primary information was collected through household survey, village survey, observation, group discussions, focused group discussions, key informants interview, and reconnaissance survey using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Secondary information was collected from relevant government offices, NGOs, books, journals, maps, and reports. Collected information was analyzed t
Scholarship Donor(s): Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)
Note: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
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