Contribution of forests to the livelihood of the Chakma community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

Abstract

Natural forests offer numerous benefits to indigenous communities and society at large. Incomes from forest sources play an important role in rural households. In addition to this, environmental sources in the forests contribute significantly to rural households’ livelihoods and economic well-being. This paper examines the contributions of forests to the livelihoods of the Chakma tribe in Bangladesh. Using the data from 60 randomly sampled households from three villages, it measured forest-resource use with a monetary yardstick. As revealed through analyses, natural forest-sourced income occupies the second-largest share in total average household income next to shifting cultivation income in the study area. Forest products represent an important component in the local livelihoods, with a direct forest income of 11,256 tk year⁻¹ household⁻¹ (tk = taka, the national currency of Bangladesh; US$1 = tk70), or 11% of the total income, in addition to the households receiving monetary benefits of 18,951 tk year⁻¹ household⁻¹, or 21% of the total income, through the consumption of forest products. The remaining income came from shifting cultivation practice. It was also observed that larger families with more people gathering forest products realized more forest income. This study will be relevant to forest and environmental policy-makers as well as indigenous community development practitioners.

Keywords:

• Forest degradation
• Forest products
• Household income

Notes

1 Local government unit in a district of Bangladesh.

2 Local government unit in a semi-urban area. This is a municipality at the local level.

3 Local government unit in a municipality.

4 Administrative unit below the level of a ward of a municipality.

5 Local government unit below an Upazila.

6 Smaller unit below a union, mainly used for land demarcation.

7 This is a domestic unit consisting of the members of a family living together along with nonrelatives such as servants. This is the smallest social functional unit in the village.

8 The data were derived from the latest population census in Bangladesh held in 2001. However, the population in the mentioned area has clearly increased considerably since then.