Agroforestry and rural agribusiness in Bangladesh

Abstract

For centuries, Asian agricultural systems have been characterized by a mosaic of small farms. The typical small farm family produces a mix of commodities according to the capability of the family's land resources, the extent of its other resources, the traditions it has inherited or evolved, and the opportunities offered by the environment that the family finks itself in. A high population growth rate, which is typical of many Asian countries like Bangladesh, inevitably brings pressures on already fragmented lands, on other resources on social services and on the availability of employment opportunities particularly in the rural areas. It is now generally recognized that expansion of agricultural land is no longer a dependable option to meet the food requirements of a growing population. A critical concern is the fact that forest resources are being destroyed at an alarmingly fast rate through the conversion of forest lands into food production areas as well as the harvesting of wood for fuel and timber