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Livelihood crisis in CHT forces jhum farming on 3 lakh acres

JASIM MAJUMDER, Khagrachhari
At least three lakh acres of hilly lands is used for jhum cultivation every year, adding to massive soil erosion, depletion of forests including reserved ones and extinction of wildlife In Chittagong HiUTYacts(CHT).
Revealing the fact, sources at forest department and Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said over 40 thousand acres of different reserve forests have also been burnt for the same purpose.
Environmentalists have warned of natural disaster in the hilly region if such ecology damaging work goes on year after year.
On the ot^er hand, the output of jhum cultivation is not satisfactory. A jhum farmer gels about one tonne of rice from each acre.
Attempt to make farmers aware of the problems proved futile as jhum farmers are yet to be provided with alternative means of fanning or livelihood, forest officials, jhum Control Department and AED sources said.
Most of the jumiya farmers have no permanent residence or legal documents as they are engaged in cultivation at different places in different years. It is a
serious problem in Rangarnati, Khagrachhari Bahdarban hill districts, said officials of forest department and AED.
Considering the vital issue, the government formed CHT Jhum Control Department in 1983-1984 to check continuous jhum cultivation.
Under a project, the department rehabilitated 2,000 families by giving five acres of land each. Those settled families did not engage in further environment -damaging activities, sources said.
But the project was declared closed in 2000.
Over two lakh jhumiya families, who often face uncertainty about livelihood, are involved in environment-damaging activities, officials said.
Pradip Chowdhury, programme supervisor of Centre for Sustainable Development, said jum cultivation causes much harm to our natural environment by destroying forests and harming wild lives and birds.
Besides, no crops grow well for next five years if the land is used for jum cultivation, he said.
Usually jum cultivation washes away the upper part micronutrients of soil, which caused massive
soil erosion, Mahalchhari upazila Sub Assisiant Agriculture Officer Pranab Barua said.
The serious floods that occurred about six month ago caused huge losses to lives and properties in hill district Bandarban and Khagrachhari. People of CHT did not see such kind of flood in last 5o years. Massive soil erosion is an Important cause of that flood, he said.
As this correspondent asked several farmers whether they know * that soil erosion, destruction of forests including reserved ones and extinctions of birds and animals are caused due to jhum cultivation on hill slopes, they said they never thought about it.
Divisional Forest Officer of Khagrachhari, Ali Kabir said most of the unclassified forests have been destroyed due to jhum cultivation. It is also damaging birds and animals' natural habitat in the forests, he said.
TM Monjurul Islam, deputy director of Khagrachhari AED, said they have scientific plan for cultivating on hill slopes that will not cause soil erosion.
But before that jhum farmers need to be made aware, he said.