Rafiqul Islam Morol is a farmer living in the village Mohondi of khalilnagar union of Tala upazila under Satkhira district. He has four members in his family which includes his Wife, daughter and son. In 2007 Uttaran started a project titled “Homestead Agro Forestry through Improved Management Practice” through Arannayk Foundation in this area and he was selected as a beneficiary of this project. The objective of this project was to upgrade the biodiversity conservation through engaging community people in practicing agro-forestry in their homestead areas and to cultivate indigenous species of plants as an alternative livelihood practice. Another objective of the project was to create a strong sensitization and awareness on planting and conserving indigenous species of flora among the communities. Under this project, Rafiqul with the facilitation of Uttaran, started to plant different species of trees including fruit bearing species, timber producing species and herbal and medicinal plants. Five different species of 35 timber producing trees, six species of 25fruit trees and three species of 15 medicinal plants were planted by Rafiqul on his homestead garden and surrounding the pond. Rafiqul received training on plantation and management homestead agro forestry, fresh water aquaculture and livestock rearing from Uttaran. It has been five years since he started planting the trees During the reporting year, he earned BDT. 5,000 by selling Sajna(a vegetable). Additionally, the fruits that he received from his trees served his family’s nutrition demands. Both of his children are now going to high school. After 2 to 3 years, he will be able to earn yearly BDT. 150,000 to BDT.200,000 just by selling fruit and timber.
Now Rafiqul Islam Morol found an alternative way of his livelihood