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Status of Small-scale Rubber and Shifting Cultivators at Bandarbans District, Bangladesh

A. K. M. Abul Kalam Azad
Bangladesh Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Agargoan, Dhaka and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan.

Md. Najmus Sayadat Pitol
e-mail: najmus.sayadat gmail.com
Mangrove Silviculture Division, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate change, Bangladesh

Yonosuke Hara
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study explored the general overview of the small-scale rubber cultivators and shifting cultivators at Bandarbans District, Bangladesh. The living standard of small-scale rubber cultivators were higher than the shifting cultivators. The all-small-scale rubber farm households were divided into three classes rich, medium, and poor according to their present wealthy status where all shifting cultivators were unfortunately poor. The rich farm household of rubber cultivators had the highest annual income (177857 BDT) and shifting cultivators had an average lowest annual income (43842 BDT). In total 58% of farmers had started latex collection, and 42% percent farmers were waiting to start latex. It seemed that only shifting cultivators worked as day labor and not involved in any other part-time profession. They had less livestock and agricultural land. About 48% of farmers cultivated banana as the intercrop in the rubber garden for the first few years followed by fruits (13%), ginger (11%), vegetables (8%), pineapple (8%), garlic (6%) and rice (6%). All the respondents (100%) faced financial, VAT and transportation problem. About 88% of respondents faced clone selection problem followed by insufficient land allocation (85%), marketing problem (79%), shortage of skilled manpower (65%), latex collection (58%), skilled tapper (52%), diseases (17%) and others (25%).

Keywords: Income, Living standard, Latex, Livelihood, Rubber, Shifting cultivation, Tree farming

Location: Bandarbans District, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Rubber wood, Shifting cultivation

Objectives:

To explore the suitability of rubber plantations and also gives the general overview of rubber cultivators and shifting cultivators at Bandarbans hill tract in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Study Area: Bandarban, the most remote and least dense district of Bangladesh with an area of 4,479 km². About 2,15,934 of Bengalis and 1,42,401of indigenous people live in the district. It lies between 22°11' and 22°30' north latitudes and between 92° 04' and 92° 41' east longitudes. There are 50.8% Muslim, 31.7% Buddhist, 10.1% Christian, 3.4% Hindu and 4% others. There are more than fifteen ethnic minorities together with Marma, Rakhine, Mru, Bawm, Khyang, Tripura, Lushei, Khumi, Chak, Kuki, Chakma and Tanchangya. Both shifting cultivators and rubber cultivators are found in the study area where forestry, fisheries, and livestock are the main source of household income. The climatic conditions are moist, warm, and equable. The average temperature is 26.10°C, and the minimum and maximum temperatures were recorded as 10°C in December-January and 34.8°C from May to March to June. Data Collection and Analysis: To find out the general overview of the small-scale rubber cultivators and shifting cultivators, both qualitative and quantitative data on rubber production, their income, resources, and other status were used. Data was collected by group discussion, direct observation, and a questionnaire survey of the households. There were 48 registered small-scale rubber cultivators, and 38 shifting cultivators were interviewed. The focus group consultations were held with the village authorities to understand the general circumstances of the study area by information gathering on rubber and shifting cultivation. Lastly, information regarding the quantity and cost of the labor force used for the rubber and shifting cultivation was collected. During the focus group discussion, several field observations were conducted with their cordial help.

Source of Information: European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Vol-3, Issue-3, June 2021 (www.ejfood.org)

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24018/ejfood.2021.3.3.303

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Rubber production is highly profitable than harmful shifting cultivation. Government should provide an interest-free loan to the poor small-scale rubber cultivators that can be made more profitable. Besides, give technical support to the shifting cultivator and encourage them that they leave the shifting cultivation and involve themselves in rubber tree farming. If the government wants to reduce shifting cultivation, must come forward with low-interest funding for the rubber cultivators. The findings of this study about the small-scale rubber cultivators and shifting cultivators will be helpful for politicians and policymakers in framing forthcoming tactics of the tribal people, and also for sustainable highland development.

Knowledge Management: Journal