The influence of previous land-use on stand structure and economic yield in tropical agroforests of Bangladesh

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Abstract
Agroforestry offers opportunities to combine nature conservation and agricultural economic yield. In the tropics, agroforestry is often implemented in lands derived from the conversion of forest or the utilization of barren land. We assessed the influence of previous land-use practices on stand structures and income generated from different agroforests in Bangladesh’s Sal (Shorea robusta) forest region. The ecological data were collected from the selected plots with various measuring instruments (measuring tape, relascopes, etc.), and the economic data were generated from surveys among the farmers, group discussions, and previous research works in the study area. The tree basal area was high in forest (32.1 m2/ha) and in forest-derived agroforestry plots (25.7 m2/ha). In fallow land, basal area was 7.2 m2/ha and in fallow-derived agroforestry 17 m2/ha. Thus, in tree basal area and other stand structural variables such as canopy cover, a clear pattern with previous land-use was revealed. According to interviews with the farmers, the economic outcome obtained by cultivating pineapple, ginger, and other crops was around 3000 €/ha/year with no statistically significant difference between forest-derived and fallow-derived agroforestry. Our data suggest that tree canopy cover is income-neutral in these agroforestry systems. The findings suggest options for income generation in forests, which in terms of nature conservation would stand for degradation. It underscores the opportunities for agroforestry on former fallow land, which offers win–win solutions for improving human livelihoods and ecosystem restoration.

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