Trees as Crops in Bangladesh Paddy Fields and Homesteads

A ten-year programme of participatory agroforestry action-research in rural Bangladesh is described, focusing on the processes and operational outcomes. Technical results published elsewhere are reviewed. A basic crop field agroforestry model was developed, employing wide spacing of the trees and top and root pruning to regulate interaction with under-crops. The operational programme was continuously adjusted to accommodate research results as they emerged. Participatory methods ensured responsiveness to the needs of both women and men farmers and a high degree of socio-economic equity in the distribution of participants and benefits, leading to large-scale impact in the field without a research-to-extension gap. Generating rigorous research results with the participatory approach depended on high levels of replication.