Jhum farmers busy in harvesting paddy

Indigenous farmers in the hill district are busy in harvesting paddy as well as making items needed for cultivating jhum.

Jhum is a kind of cultivation method of the indigenous people of Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT). The method is used in the hills. Jhum cultivation is not profitable now due to climate change and reduced soil fertility, but many indigenous families still depend on jhum and maintain their tradition.

This correspondent visited Gachban village in Perachara union of Sadar upazila. Many families of this village earn their livelihood by jhum cultivation. Sunil Tripura said he and his wife started harvesting paddy four days ago and the yield is good this year.

Sathoai Marma of Krishi Gabeshana area said he does not cultivate jhum but makes items necessary for harvesting jhum crops. He has been making kallong (local name of a basket) for the last three or four weeks used in harvesting and cultivating jhum, he said. He sells four to five kallongs a week in Khagrachhari Bazar, he added.

Dhoniram Tripura of Nunchari area said he sells toloi (local name for a kind of mat) in Khagrachhari Bazar. He said one cannot dry jhum paddy without toloi. Now those days are over as jhum farmers are using plastic mats instead of toloi, he said, adding that it takes four to five days to make a toloi.