Jhum cultivation in the Kaptai National park of Bangladesh

Introduction:
Kaptai National Park is situated at Kaptai under Rangamati district of Chittagong Hill Tracts(CHT).There are about 26,000 households are dependent on jhum cultivation in CHT.In Kaptai National Park peoples of two forest villages like Kallabunia and Bangchari are partially dependent on jhum cultivation and households number are 10 and 79 respectively.About 50 households of Kamillachari(park adjacent village) are practicing jhum cultivation on Kaptai National Park forest land.Generally forest department seems that the villagers of Kamillachari are now destroying park vegetation by jhum cultivation.In 2008,forest department starts agar(Aquillaria agalocha) plantation on the disturbed jhum area of Kaptai National Park.This is a participatory plantation programme and people can grow agricultural crops with agar seedlings.

Jhum cultivation:
This is the most common and most destructive way of damaging forest in the practice of jhum cultivation.In this system first clear fell the vegetation and burn an area to grow agricultural crops.After harvesting crops the area is abandoned for 7 or 8 years.

Detrimental effects of jhum cultivation:

• forest degradation
  
• loss of biodiversity
• soil erosion and decline of soil fertility
• water shortage due to destroying water-shade
• sedimentation
  

Thinking of tribal people about jhum cultivation:

• appropriate form of agriculture due to indigenous knowledge oriented farming practice.
• jhumia's social fabric including their laws ,customs,festivals,music dances and literature strongly influenced by jhum cultivation.

Conclusion:
Peoples should practice jhum cultivation in modified form by avoiding forest destruction.They need alternative income generation activities.Forest conservation is needed both for wild lives and those are dependent on forest resources.

Prepared by:
Md.Zahidur Rahman Miah
ACF,Kaptai National Park
Bangladesh.