FARMERS' ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOMEGARDEN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Indigenous ecological knowledge of farmers about traditional homegardens were investigated in four regions (South Western, North Western, Eastern and Central Northern regions) in Bangladesh with reference to marginal (> 0.02–0.08 ha), small (> 0.08–0.14 ha), medium (> 0.14–0.20 ha) and large (> 0.20 ha) farm categories. Eighty homegardens (five from each farm category in each of the four regions) were assessed using different Participatory rural appraisal methods. Farmers' species preferences and ecological knowledge about their homegardens are influenced by site factors and the size of their homegardens. Farmers use knowledge of ecophysiological interactions among species involving light, water, nutrients, pests and diseases and soil as criteria for determining desirable combinations of species in their homegardens. Farmers have more indigenous ecological knowledge about above-ground interactions than below-ground interactions and their knowledge is broadly comparable with scientific knowledge.