Syed Rahman

I have obtained my MSS and M.Phil degrees from the Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh with the specialization of agroforestry and environmental sustainability. Now I am involved with CIFOR through PEN project aiming sustainable forest management and poverty reduction issues through agroforestry options in the low income tropics. Already I have published good number of research articles in the peer reviewed journals and presented papers in the international conferences.

Here are the more details about me:

REGIONAL SPECIALIZATION: Bangladesh, Eastern India, Western Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia.

AREAS OF INTEREST: Modeling and adoption of tropical agroforestry as a new income option for the poor; Communal, institutional and social aspect of tropical forest management in relation to poverty reduction and environmental sustainability for better livelihoods security; Land use and land cover change in south and southeast Asian agrarian landscapes; Rural agricultural development; Environmental Sociology.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCES: Professional: 1. “Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Options in the Uplands of Eastern Bangladesh”, [Currently supported by Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)]. 2. “Social Aspects of Energy Production and Use in Rural Bangladesh”, [1 Year Research Project (2007), Supported by University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh]. 3. "Constraints to the Use of Agroforestry to Alleviate Poverty in Northern Bangladesh", [1 Year Research Project (2005), Supported by RDRS, Bangladesh]. 4. “Comparative Economic Evaluation of Agroforestry Practiced by Swidden Cultivators and Transmigrant Farmers in Bangladesh and the Philippines”, [1 Year Research Project (2004)].

Academic: 1. “Development Impacts of Agroforestry on Rural Households”. Dept. of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh [2 years M.Phil research project]. 2. “Social Forestry: Efforts of Poverty Alleviation”. Dept. of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. [1year MSS research project]. 3. “Socio-economic Conditions of the Children Engaged in Small Businesses in the Campus of Rajshahi University”. Dept. of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. [1 year BSS (honors) research project].

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS: Books/ Book Chapters (Total 2):

1. Rahman, S. A., W. de Groot, and D.J. Snelder, (2008). ‘Exploring the Agroforestry Adoption Gap: Financial and Socioeconomics of Litchi-Based Agroforestry by Smallholders in Rajshahi (Bangladesh)’, in D. J. Snelder, and R.D. Lasco (eds.), Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services: Lessons from Asia. Springer, the Netherlands. pp. 227-244. 2. Rahman, S.A., and S. Saha (eds.). Tropical Agroforestry: Some Case Studies from Developing Countries (In Progress).

Published in Journals (12 Papers):

1. Rahman, S. A., M. H. Imam, S.W. Wachira , K.M.Farhana , B. Torres, and D.M.H. Kabir, (2008). ‘Land Use Patterns and the Scale of Adoption of Agroforestry in the Rural Landscapes of Padma Floodplain in Bangladesh’, Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 18: 193-207, UK. 2. Imtiaj, A., and S.A. Rahman, (2008). ‘Economic Viability of Mushrooms Cultivation to Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh’, Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, 8(1): 93-99, Mexico. 3. Rahman, S. A., M.F. Rahman, A.L Codilan, and K.M. Farhana, (2007). ‘Analysis of the Economic Benefits from Systematic Improvements to Shifting Cultivation and its Evolution towards Stable Continuous Agroforestry in the Upland of Eastern Bangladesh’, International Forestry Review, 9(1): 536-547, UK. 4. Rahman, S.A., (2007). ‘Potentials and Constraints of Combined Secondary and Tree Crops Systems in Bangladesh’, Palawija News, 24(1): 6-11, UNCAPSA, UN. 5. Rahman, S.A., K.M. Farhana, A. Imtiaj, and A.H.M.M. Rahman, (2007). ‘Economic Evaluation of Multistrata Agroforestry System Practiced by Traditional Cultivators in Northern Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environment and Development, 4 (1): 61-72, India. 6. Kibria, A.M.B.G., S.A. Rahman, M. N. Alam, M. K. Ali, and A. Imtiaj, (2007). ‘Survey, Evaluation and Health Care of Medicinal Plant at Rural Kishorpur Village of Rajshahi’, Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Science, 13(2): 252-259, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh. 7. Naznin, T., S. A. Rahman, and K.M. Farhana, (2006). ‘Situation of Women Among the Ethnic Minorities: An Anthropological Study of Oraon Community in Northern Bangladesh’, Journal of the Institute of Bangladesh Studies, 29:123-128, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. 8. Rahman, S. A., and K. M. Farhana, (2005). ‘Cost -benefit Analysis of Agriculture versus Agroforestry System in the High Barind Tract of Northern Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environment and Development, 2(1):1-14, India. 9. Imtiaj A., S. A. Rahman, S. Alam, R. Parvin, K. M. Farhana, S. B. Kim, and T. S. Lee (2005). ‘Effect of Fungicides and Plant Extracts on the Conidial Germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Causing Mango Anthracnose’, Mycobiology, 33(4):200-205, South Korea. 10. Farhana, K. M., and S. A. Rahman, (2005). ‘Grehokorme Niojito Shishuder Ovibason O Ovijojoner Dharon (Nature of Migration and Adaptation of the Children Engaged in Household Labor)’, Samaj Nirikhon, 92: 39-49, Centre for Social Studies, Bangladesh. 11. Rahman, S. A., and S. Saha, (2004). ‘Samajik Banayan O Daridra Bimochon: Prekhit Bangladesh (Social Forestry and Poverty Reduction: Bangladesh Perspective)’, Samaj-Tattva, 10(2):1-12, Association for Social Studies, India. 12. Farhana, K. M., and S. A. Rahman, (2004). ‘Gramin Nimnobitta Poribarer Jibonbabostha: Ekti Gram Vhithik Samikha (Life System of the Rural Lower Strata Families: A Village Based Survey)’, Samaj Nirikhon, 90:36-48, Center for Social Studies, Bangladesh.

Accepted (1 Paper): 1. Rahman, S.A., K. M. Farhana , A. Imtiaj, S.W. Wachira, M.A. Rahman, and S. Saha, (2009). ‘Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Options: Lesson from the Remote Uplands of Eastern Bangladesh’, International Journal of Environment and Development, India.

Submitted (3 Papers): 1. S.A Rahman, N. N. Shein , A. Imtiaj , K. M. Farhana, and M. R. Islam, (2008). ‘Potentiality of Alley Cropping in Agroforestry System’, International Journal of Environment and Development, India. 2. Imtiaj, A., S. A. Rahman, A.L. Codilan, R. Parvin, and K.M. Farhana, (2008). ‘Effect of Plant Extracts on Anthracnose Disease of Mango to Promote Organic Agroforestry in Northern Bangladesh’, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippines. 3. Rahman, S.A., S. Saha, and K.M. Farhana, (2008). ‘Initiatives of Tropical Agroforestry for Sustainable Agriculture: Opportunities for Bangladesh’, Indian Botanical Survey, India.

Work in Progress (6 Papers): 1. Rahman, S. A., and T. Sunderland. ‘Causes and Consequences of Shifting Cultivation in the Hill Tracts of Eastern Bangladesh’. 2. Rahman, S.A., T. Sunderland, and D.J. Snelder. ‘Agroforestry for Livelihood Security in Agrarian Landscapes of the Padma Floodplain in Bangladesh’. 3. Rahman, S.A., and A.L. Codilan. ‘Comparative Economic Evaluation of Agroforestry Practiced by Swidden Cultivators and Transmigrant Farmers in Bangladesh and the Philippines’. 4. Rahman, S. A. ‘Agroforestry for Tropical Forestland Restoration in Bangladesh’. 5. Akan, M.M.R, and S.A. Rahman. ‘Land and Life in Sagrampara: An Ethnographic Account on Land and Ethnicity in a Santal Community of Barind Tract’. 6. Akan, M.M.R, and S.A. Rahman. ‘Environmental Change and its Impact on an Ethnic Group in the Barind Region’.

In Seminars/ Conferences (Posters and Proceedings) (8 Entries):

1. Rahman, S.A., and N.N. Shein, (2008). ‘Potentiality of Agroforestry to Poverty Reduction and Tropical Forestland Restoration in South and South East Asia’, IUFRO-8.01.02 Landscape Ecology International Conference “Landscape Ecology and Forest Management: Challenges and Solutions”, 16-18 September, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China. pp. 144-145. 2. Rahman, S.A., (2007). ‘Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Options in the Uplands of Eastern Bangladesh’, 3rd AIMES Young Scholars Network (YSN) Workshop “Modeling Land-Use Decision Making”, 2-5 June 2007, Bristol, UK (Poster). 3. Rahman, S.A., L. Ghosh, K.M.Farhana, and S. Saha, (2006). ‘Agroforestry for Livelihood Security in Agrarian Landscapes of the Padma Floodplain in Bangladesh’, International Conference on Environment, Livelihoods and Development in South Asia: Historical Probings in a Comparative Framework, 6-8 March 2006, University of Calcutta, India. p. 24. 4. Rahman, S. A., and K. M. Farhana, (2005). ‘Creating Conditions for a Quantum Leap of Bio Diversity through Organic Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific’, First DIVERSITAS Open Science Conference "Integrating Biodiversity Science for Human Well Being", 9-12 November 2005, Oaxaca, Mexico. p. 186. 5. Rahman, S. A., and K. M. Farhana, (2005). ‘Cost-benefit Analysis of Agriculture Versus Agroforestry System in the High Barind Tract of Northern Bangladesh’, MSA Golden Jubilee & ASM 10th Anniversary International Congress (ISC) "Science for Humanity", 3-6 August 2005, Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. p. 108-109. 6. Imtiaj, A., S.A. Rahman, S. Alam, R. Parvin, K.M. Farhana, S.B. Kim, and T.S. Lee (2005). ‘Effect of Fungicides and Plant Extracts on the Conidial Germination of Mango Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides’, Conference of Korean Society of Plant Pathology, 20-21 October 2005, National Instrumentation Centre for Environmental Management (NICEM), Seoul National University, Korea. P. 191-192. 7. Rahman, S. A., and K. M. Farhana, (2005). ‘Sustainable Agriculture for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Initiatives: Bangladesh Experience’, International Conference on Agricultural Research for Development: European Responses to Changing Global Needs, 27-29 April 2005, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. p. 11. 8. Rahman, S. A., and K. M. Farhana, (2004). ‘Influence of Agroforestry on Poverty Reduction: Bangladesh Perspective’, 1st World Congress of Agroforestry- Working Together for Sustainable Land use Systems, 27th June - 02 July 2004, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida, USA. p.83.

JOURNAL REVIEW EXPERIENCE: Reviewer for the following Peer-reviewed Journal: 1. International Forestry Review (IFR), (http://www.cfa-international.org/IFR.html).

INTERNSHIP/ TRAINING: Internship: 1. Internship at CIFOR Headquarter (Forests and Livelihoods Programme), Bogor, Indonesia.

    Duration: 1 January 2009- 31 March 2009.

Terms of Reference:  Work on two scientific papers to be published in reputable scientific journals.  Presentations of research findings.  Participation in scientific meetings.

Training: 1. PEN-CIFOR Training Workshop on “How to Write Scientific Papers”, 23-28 March 2009, CIFOR headquarter, Bogor, Indonesia. 2. PEN-CIFOR Training Workshop on Research Methodology and Data Management (for Global Data Analysis and Synthesis), 8-12 January 2008, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. 3. PEN-CIFOR Training Workshop on Fieldwork and Methods of Data Collection, 15-16 May 2006, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL), Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Training Workshop on Women and Development, 12 December 2003, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh [Under Higher Education Linked Program between Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi and Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, UK (Funded by DFID and Managed by British Council)]. 5. Training Workshop on Research Methodology, 14 -15 March 2003, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh [Under Higher Education Linked Program between Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi and Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, UK (Funded by DFID and Managed by British Council)].

AWARD RECEIVED: 1. SSRC (Social Science Research Council), Bangladesh Research Award in 2008. 2. CIFOR Research Award 2007 for the Research Project, entitled “Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Options in the Uplands of Eastern Bangladesh”. 3. RDRS, Bangladesh Research Award 2005 for the Research Project, entitled: "Constraints to the Use of Agroforestry to Alleviate Poverty in Northern Bangladesh". 4. IC-VFFP (Inter Cooperation -Village Farm and Forestry Project) Research Award 2003 for M.Phil Research Project, entitled: “Development Impacts of Agroforestry on Rural Households”, Dept. of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. 5. Scholarship Received from University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh (during one year Masters Course period).

INVITED SEMINARS/ PRESENTATIONS: Paper Presented: 1. “Potentiality of Agroforestry to Poverty Reduction and Tropical Forestland Restoration in South and South East Asia”, IUFRO-8.01.02 Landscape Ecology International Conference ‘Landscape Ecology and Forest Management: Challenges and Solutions’, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China, 16-18 September 2008. 2. “Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction through Agroforestry Options in the Uplands of Eastern Bangladesh”, PEN-CIFOR Training Workshop, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL), Copenhagen, Denmark, 15-16 May 2006. 3. “Agroforestry for Livelihood Security in Agrarian Landscapes of the Padma Floodplain in Bangladesh”, International Conference on Environment, Livelihoods and Development in South Asia: Historical Probings in a Comparative Framework, University of Calcutta, India, 6-8 March 2006. 4. “Development Impacts of Agroforestry on Rural Households”, Seminar of IC-SAAKTI (Inter Cooperation-Sustainable Access to Agroforestry Knowledge Technology and Information) Project, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 19 September 2004.

Attended: 1. 5th Poverty and Environment Network (PEN) Workshop “Putting Pen to Paper”, Bogor, Indonesia, 23-28 March 2009. 2. 3rd AIMES Young Scholars Network (YSN) Workshop “Modeling Land-Use Decision Making”, Bristol, UK, 2-5 June 2007. 3. Second Annual Seminar on Forest and Trees in Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark, 18 May 2006. 4. National seminar on Small Farmers and WTO Agreement on Agriculture: Bangladesh Perspective, Institute of Bangladesh Studies (IBS), University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 28 August 2005. 5. International workshop on Sustainable Return of Professional and Skilled Migrants, BRAC Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 7-8 March 2005 [Supported by DFID, UK]. 6. Seminar on Female Commercial Sex Workers in Rajshahi City, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 18 March 2004 [Under Higher Education Linked Program between Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi and Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, UK (Funded by DFID and Managed by British Council)]. 7. Seminar on Gender Discrimination, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 21 January 2004 [Under Higher Education Linked Program between Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi and Department of Sociology, University of Manchester, UK (Funded by DFID and Managed by British Council)].

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES: Knowledge: Windows, MS Office, SPSS, AKT5 (Agroecological Knowledge Toolkit), STATA, E-mail and Internet applications. Experiences: 1. Microsoft Excel, SPSS, AKT5 and STATA are used for data cleaning, management and analysis. 2. Power Point is for Seminar Presentations.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English - Fluent (speaking, writing, reading), Bengali - Native language, Thai, Hindi, Bahasa Indonesia and Arabic (elementary).

MEMBERSHIPS: 1. Member, International Working Group on Forest Landscape Ecology-- IUFRO, 8.01.02. 2. Member, AIMES (Analysis, Integration and Modeling of the Earth System) Young Scholars Network (YSN) [it is a core project of IGBP (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme)]. 3. Member, Young Professionals Platform on Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD). 4. Regular member, World Academy of Young Scientists (WAYS), Budapest, Hungary. 5. Member, Poverty and Poverty and Conservation Learning Group (PCLG). 6. Member, South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE), Katmandu, Nepal. 7. Member, Sociological Association, Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi. 8. Member, Organizing Committee, Association of Research Fellow, University of Rajshahi [from 24th September 2004 to date]. 9. Organizing Secretary, Association of Research Fellow, University of Rajshahi [from March 2003 to 24th September 2004]. 10. Member, Alumni Association, Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi. 11. Member, Alumni Association, University of Rajshahi. 12. President, Players Welfare Association, University of Rajshahi [from May 2000 to October 2001]. 13. Joint Secretary, Players Welfare Association, University of Rajshahi [from May 1999 to May 2000].