Socio-cultural Impacts of Agroforestry Improvements in Narsingdi, Bangladesh

• Author / Creator

  Shams, Rifat

• This research investigates the potential socio-cultural impacts that might result from an agroforestry improvement project in two study communities of Narsingdi District, Bangladesh. A range of qualitative research methods are employed for the investigation. Results reveal that culture is significantly linked to agroforestry practices in the study communities, and the project might have impacts on important socio-cultural domains in addition to the expected changes in income and agricultural production. The specific socio-cultural impacts that are identified include: loss of sharing and exchanging system of planting materials associated with local species, increase in dependency on new species over local species, loss of farmers’ self-reliance and social differentiation. The study highlights the importance of understanding such socio-cultural impacts before the implementation of any development project so that the project can be designed in a way that is beneficial from a more holistic standpoint.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Social Impact Assessment (SIA)
  • Bangladesh
  • Qualitative research
  • Social change processes and social impacts
  • Agroforestry development
  • Socio-cultural impacts

• Graduation date

  Spring 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R35S57

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.