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Environmental Damage and Land Use Change from Tobacco Farming: a Spatio-temporal Study in Bandarban, Bangladesh

Naznin Nahar Sultana
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Naima Nazir
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Md. Akib Jabed
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Alak Paul
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Tobacco cultivation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is becoming a concern as the environmental loss is already evident from this farming. This research was carried out to explore the consequent environmental problems and the land-use alteration from tobacco farming in the Ruposhipara Union of Lama Upazila, Bandarban district. Primary data were collected through 200 semi-structured questionnaires, five FGDs, and opinions from two experts. In addition, LANDSAT TM satellite images for three different years were analyzed with the help of ArcGIS 9 and Erdas Imagine ascertaining the tobacco-induced land-use changes within the last 23 years. From the perception of people, this study has revealed that the continuous cultivation of tobacco has declined the fertility of the soil and used agrochemicals that have severely deteriorated the fish population in freshwater bodies of the study area. Tobacco fields are being expanded by clearing forests and cutting down of hill and such natural destructions have resulted in the decrease of different animals which were abundant in the past. Conversely, analysis of satellite images revealed that within 23 years (1989-2012), there was an increase of nearly 1921322.79 sq. Meters of tobacco land which represent a total 95.05% increase of tobacco fields by altering the forests, hills, and other crops field. This study suggests that more research should carry out and land use regulations should be made to prevent the expansion of tobacco farming in the CHT.

Keywords: Tobacco Cultivation, Environmental Problems, Land Use Alteration, Spatio-temporal Research.

Location: Ruposhipara Union located in the Lama Upazila (sub-district), Bandarban, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Tobacco, Land degradation

Objectives:

To assess the environmental impacts of tobacco farming in the Lama Upazila of Bandarban district.

Methodology:

Location of the Study Area: Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is the only extensive hilly area in Bangladesh lies in the south-eastern part of the country located between 21°25'N to 23°45'N latitude and 91°54'E to 92°50'E longitude, consisting three districts Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Rangamati (Banglapedia, 2015). The study village is Ruposhipara Union located in the Lama Upazila (sub-district), Bandarban, Bangladesh. Ruposhipara Union is surrounded by Matamuhuri River and Lama Pourashava in the north and west side, Alikadam Upazila at the south and Thanchi Upazila at the east. According to the local union office, the area of Ruposhipara Union is 55,351.605344acres (1 acre= 4 046.85642 meters) and around 2750 families are residing in that village. The total population of the study village is 13,805. Environmental Data Collection and Analysis The research has employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques to perceive the environmental damages from tobacco cultivation in the Ruposhipara Union. The primary data collection methods are Questionnaire Survey, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and Expert Interview. A total of 200 pretested semi-structured questionnaires were implemented to collect data regarding the existing environmental problems, particularly the impacts of tobacco cultivation on soil and water, uses of pesticides, fertilizers etc.. Samples were chosen based on the purposive sampling methods where only adults (more than 18 years old) have been selected for the interviews. On the other hand, five FGDs and two experts’ interviews were conducted to understand tobacco farming-induced environmental degradation and land-use change. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted based on a predefined theme at the crop field and each FGD consisted of 5-9 cultivators. Every questionnaire interview and FGD took 40 to 60 minutes to be completed. Land Use Database and Analysis: To fulfill the objectives of this study, satellite images were collected from Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), Bangladesh. Images of 23 years of satellite data with eleven years intervals on average have been examined to detect the land-use changes from tobacco cultivation. The satellite data of 23 years covered by three sequential satellite images namely LANDSAT TM_1989, LANDSAT TM_2000 and LANDSAT TM_2012. Based on Geographic and Remote sensing data, some statements are also presented in this research. A critical analysis of satellite images in the aspect of the tobacco cultivation area has been done successfully with the help of GIS technology. ArcGIS 9 (version ArcMap 9.3) platform is adopted to detect the changes in the cultivation area and pattern of tobacco farming between 1989 and 2012. Current research has used Global Positing System (GPS) device to locate the existing tobacco fields in the map and to make image analysis more reliable. In addition, the Google Earth engine has substantially supported the detection and comparison of tobacco cultivation changing patterns with the elapse of time. Ruposhipara Union map was produced through the combined use of Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) map, satellite images (taken help only from LANDSAT TM_2012) and Google Earth. Considering the colour combination, pixel, etc. of the satellite images, the tobacco cultivation area was identified very carefully. After identifying the cultivated area from the satellite images, area measurement was done for each para (local sub-unit of a village) separately. After that mathematical, and statistical methods were applied for the calculation and diagrams were produced in Microsoft Excel 2016. To find out the rate of fluctuation of tobacco cultivation, overlaying of two maps have been performed in ArcMap software.

Source of Information: Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, Vol. 11, 22-37, 2020 ISSN: 1996-8914

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Bangladesh has already been experiencing numerous environmental hazards, while tobacco cultivation is adding an extra burden with many detrimental effects on the environment. This research project was conducted to unveil the people’s perception of the resulted environmental impacts from tobacco farming and associated land-use change from this cultivation. It was reported that soil fertility of the study area has been decreasing gradually due to the continuous tobacco husbandry. Many people have claimed that the increasing number of agrochemicals has spoiled the quality of soil and the most notable matter is tobacco plant requires much more pesticide, insecticides, and fertilizers than other crops. Consequently, after every 10-12 years, tobacco fields need to be relocated. Tobacco requires a huge amount of fertilizer and chemical inputs including Urea, TSP/DAP, pesticide/fungicide (such as Bovistin, Ridmil) etc. for good production. Massive repeated application of all these requirements in a single land has some daring impact on the environment (Ali et al., 2015). Moreover, the use of such a huge number of agrochemicals is polluting the nearby water bodies and already resulted in the loss of fish population in Matamuhuri River and Lama Khal. On the other hand, forests cover in the study area are declining significantly due to the excessive extraction of firewood for tobacco kiln. Bangladesh is in the third position in the world among the countries where tobacco-related deforestation occurs (Akhter, 2011). Additionally, hill cutting, another anti-environmental exertion was observed during the study. The local people have admitted the decline of faunal species and their population as the forests and hills are being destructed for tobacco farming. In the past, monkeys and elephants were seen in that area but they become quite invisible nowadays. The analysis of 23 years of satellite images revealed a gradual land cover change of the Ruposhipara Union under tobacco farming. The change detection of every area has evaluated and revealed how much area has been decreased or increased in Ruposhipara Union under Bandarban district. This research has found that total tobacco farming was 499.5108 acres in 1989 which consists of 2.61% of the total land area. After 11 years this amount went up to 1103.2273 acres of land that comprises 5.76% of the total land in 2000. On the other hand, tobacco is cultivated on account of 974.28 acres which covered 5.08% of the total cultivable land of the Ruposhipara Union in 2012. Although the primary stage of tobacco cultivation was static in 1989, its highest expansion occurred rapidly in 2000. With slight regression in 2012, presently the expansion of the tobacco field is ongoing. To save the environment and agricultural lands there are no alternatives but prohibit farming immediately.

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