In Bangladesh, “the most effective way to reduce deforestation is through agroforestry,” says Syed Ajijur Rahman from the Center for International Forestry Research. “It could bring ‘win-win’ solutions to meet both environment and development objectives”.

An article in The Independent highlights how Bangladesh, with one of the lowest rates of forest cover in the world, needs to start enforcing its environmental policies before all the forests have gone.

A new study by CIFOR scientists recommends inter-ministerial collaboration focusing on agroforestry jointly under the agriculture, forestry and information ministries.

Agroforestry systems are preferable to just food crop or pasture production systems as they are able to generate income from tree sales and carbon trading programmes, such as reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation schemes.

For agroforestry to be widely adopted in Bangladesh structural reform is required, such as in banking regulations and tenure rules. The capacity of farmers also needs to be built in agroforestry technologies.

Read the full story: Bangladesh forests disappearing at “alarming rate”

Download the study: Extent and Consequences of Tropical Forest Degradation: Successive Policy Options for Bangladesh