Prothom Alo 29 November 2002
http://www.prothom-alo.net/htmlnews/category.php?CategoryID=6&Date=2002-11-29
Buddhajyoti Chakma, on return from Remakri (Thanchi) and Chimbuk
A serious food crisis is occurring in outlying regions in Bandarban district where indigenous people are dependent on shifting cultivation. Untimely rains have disrupted this year's shifting cultivation. Attacks of rodents have also caused serious damage to crops according to local people. The local people and people's representatives fear that the situation may worsen if necessary steps are not taken in face of the crisis.
According to the Soil Research Center and the NGO Care, shifting cultivation is carried out in almost the entire area of Chimbuk, Hill Range, Ruma and Thanchi sub-districts, as well as in approximately 33,000 hectares of outlying hilly areas in Lama, Alikadam, Rowangchhari and Naikhongchhari sub-districts. This year there has been a deadly disruption in shifting cultivation. Village headmen, karbaris and people's representatives say that as a result, the fifteen to sixteen thousand Jumma families dependent on shifting cultivation in these outlying regions have fallen into a serious food shortage.
Mr. Manglung Khumi, headman of Tindur Kuangkhumi village, Mr. Chinghlamang Jishurang of Sakraangpara village in Remakri, and Kapru Mru, headman of Hanjaram village, Chimbuk and many others informed this reporter that though the Jummas cleared the forest in order to establish fields, untimely rain prevented them from setting fire to the cleared areas. As a result, excessive weeds sprouted so that noone was able to grow crops as they had wanted. Even those who were able to plant to some extent did not have a good harvest. Like a final deadly blow, countless small rodents like a swarm of locusts have assaulted the fields and wiped out all of the crops.
Incidentally, swarms of rodents destroying crops like waves of water rushing down a mountain slope are known in the local language as "Idurbonna," or "rat floods." Hlashoyemang, the Kyachingang of Iyangrai village, says that his 5 acre field of ripening rice was destroyed in 2-3 nights by swarms of rats. O Adomong, headman of Prabiin Sakraang village, says that the rat floods have been an ominous sign of food shortages or famine in the Hill Tracts. He says that a dreadful rat flood was followed by a deadly food shortage in the hill tracts in 1964.
This reporter spoke with Mongpru Membar and Sagyaching Membar at Remakri Chhoto Bazaar. They say that this year's shifting cultivation has been the worst in the last ten years. Last year, if they sowed 1 Ari (10 kilograms) of paddy they got a harvest of 10 to 15 maunds (37.3 kilograms/maund). However, this year 1 Ari of sown paddy has not produced even 3-4 maunds. Furthermore, the irregular rain has ruined virtually all the other crops including chilli, cotton, etc.
Mongpru Membar and Sagyaching Membar expressed fears that famine would occur next March or April in outlying inaccessible areas unless steps are taken soon to address the crisis. 。
Concerned persons at the Agriculture Ministry also admit that the Jum harvest has been less this year. However, Jamal Uddin, a research officer at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) states that poor harvest from shifting cultivation is not merely the result of irregular rains, but is also due to population increases, changes in the natural environment, a decline in soil fertility, and other natural causes.
Shahidullah Sarkar, Vice-Director of the Agricultural Extension Office, said that there is no need to fear that a poor Jum harvest would result in a food crisis in the district. He says that shifting cultivation does not contribute much to food production in Bandarban, and that poor shifting cultivators always suffer from food shortages anyway.
(Translation by Japan CHT Committee)