Wild pig attack dashes jhum farmers' hope
Invasion of jhum crops by wild pigs in Bandarban this year dashed the farmers' hope of good yield of paddy.
The farmers, who faced food crisis due to attack of wild pigs and rat infestation last year, took all possible measures to save crops and had a good yield in their jhum farms.
But, they were about to overcome the last year's loss caused by rat when the pig attack appeared as curse this year.
Pigs in large number attack the jhum farms at night, destroying paddy as well as other crops and fruits in remote hilly areas in Bandarban.
According to farmers, marginal and landless indigenous people of Bawm, Pankhua, Lusai, Mro, Khiyang, Khumi and Chak communities cultivated different indigenous varieties of jhum paddy on the hill slopes.
A total of 8458 hectares of hilly lands were brought under jhum cultivation in Ruma, Lama, Alikadam, Thanchi and Nikhiyangchhari this year.
Some 5075 hectares in Rangamati and 1000 hectares in Khagrachhari were also brought under shifting cultivation this year. Some 14360 hectares were brought under jhum cultivation to produce 17,785 tons of crops in the three hill districts, said the sources in Additional Director's Office of Agriculture Extension Department in Rangamati.
In the farms, they also cultivated cotton, green chili, maize, pumpkin, beans and banana. However, they expected a bumper harvest of paddy.
While visiting different hilly areas of Ruma, Lama, Alikadam, Nikhiyangchhari and Thanchi, this correspondent could see a vast track of paddy fields dazzling with golden colour. Two-thirds of the paddy was ripened and ready for harvest there.
The jhum farmers were seen all in smile and harvesting paddy in happy mood. But, they just shuddered to think about the pigs feared to attack their fields at night.
In this regard, they said despite having good yield they could not harvest paddy due to infestation of rats last year. If the pigs' attack continues, the farmers will face the same fate this year, they said.
“We reap good yield of paddy in all the jhum farms this year in our areas. All the farmers like me would have bumper production to feed on all the year round unless pigs destroy them,” said Longin Mro, a farmer at Biteyapara in Chimbuk.
"At least 50 to 100 pigs come at a time to eat up our paddy and other crops every night," he said.
Rengcham Karbari of Kapruepara said, "I sowed six aris (1 ari=10kgs) of paddy on my jhum land and expect 75 mounds or rice this year if everything goes well."
Ruma upazila chairman Aung Thoaiching Marma also came up with the same complaint.
"I just feel helpless since I can hardly help prevent the pigs and save the crops," said the upazila chairman while talking to The Daily Star.
Former UP member Ching Clang Mro said the jhum farmers worked hard all the year round. But they rarely get sufficient quantity of rice every year since wild animals attack their farms very often.
AED Additional Director AKM Shafiqul Alam of Rangamati said they are trying to help the farmers to stand guard against the pigs to save crops unitedly. "We just only can discuss the matter to find out ways and means since we have no logistic support to prevent the pigs from attacking the jhum lands,"
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