Hilli communities in Khagrachhari harvesting of Jhum (shifting cultivation) rice. Photo: BSS

KHAGRACHHARI, Sept 27, 2025(BSS)- Hilli communities in Khagrachhari are 
celebrating a bumper harvest of jhum (shifting cultivation) rice this year. 

Favorable rainfall and ideal weather conditions have contributed to high 
yields and families are already harvesting golden rice paddies across the 
hills.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), nearly 1,050 
hectares of land in the district were cultivated through jhum by around 5,000 
families during the 2024-25 fiscal year, an increase of 26 hectares compared 
to last year.

Last year, rice production reached 1,540 metric tons while the target has 
been set at 1,548 metric tons this year.

Md. Abdullah Al Malek, scientific officer at the Khagrachhari Hill 
Agriculture Research Institute, said modern jhum techniques are improving 
yields. With controlled use of fertilizers, farmers can now cultivate the 
same plot year after year. Researchers are emphasizing eco-friendly modern 
jhum practices to further boost productivity.

In addition to rice, farmers are growing a variety of crops, including sweet 
pumpkin, bitter pumpkin, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, cucumber, bitter gourd, 
eggplant, banana, corn, ginger, turmeric, chili, sesame, and other spices. 

High demand for these crops in local markets has allowed jhum farmers to 
fetch better prices. For example, cucumber is currently selling for Taka 25-
30 per kilogram, higher than last year.

Farmers in the remote Naraichhari area of Babuchhara Union under Dighinala 
upazila said poor road connectivity prevents them from getting fair prices 
while the yields are good. Nevertheless, the successful harvest has brought 
joy to their families. 

Anantahin Chakma, headmaster of a local school, noted that this year's yields 
of Gelong, Badey, and Rengui rice varieties have been particularly high.

Jhum farmers of Khagrachhari town Khagendra Tripura and Hari said, "From the 
very beginning, the weather was favorable. During Chaitra and Boishakh 
months, jhum bushes were dried under intense sunlight to clear the land. In 
Jaishtha and Ashar months, there was enough rainfall for rice and other 
seedlings to grow. Although there was a risk of landslides, major soil damage 
was avoided, allowing us to save our crops. That's why this year's jhum 
harvest has been excellent."

Harvesting has already begun along Alutila and Dighinala roads. The 
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute has also planted new rice varieties, 
including BRRI-24, BRRI-26, and BRRI-27, on a trial basis in jhum fields.

Md. Bashirul Alam, Deputy Director of the DAE, said BRRI-24 and BRRI-27 
performed best in demonstration plots and that jhum farmers would be included 
in government incentive programs in the future.

Local leaders noted for generations, indigenous communities have relied on 
jhum cultivation for their livelihoods. They explained that traditional jhum 
practices begin with selecting either owned or abandoned hill land and 
clearing dense forest. 

"Between Falgun and Chaitra months, the cleared land is dried under the sun 
and then burned to enrich the soil with ash. With the first rains of 
Boishakh, rice seeds are sown, followed by various vegetables and medicinal 
crops. Throughout the cultivation period, family members work together from 
morning to evening, taking midday rest in temporary jhum huts built on the 
slopes," they added.

Despite some negative perceptions about jhum cultivation, indigenous 
communities across the hill region-representing nearly 14 different 
linguistic groups-have relied on this practice for generations as a primary 
source of livelihood. Crops produced through jhum are also known to be both 
nutritious and flavorful.

According to a 1988 article by Gautam Kumar Chakma, central leader of the 
Chittagong Hill Tracts Jana Sanghati Samiti and member of the Regional 
Council, nearly 100,000 families in the Chittagong Hill Tracts practice jhum 
farming. 

Among the five major ethnic groups in the region, 84.04 percent of the 
Murung, 54.08 percent of the Tripura, 42.3 percent of the Marma, 22.07percent 
of the Chakma and 1.06 percent of the Bengali populations engage in jhum 
cultivation, according to 2001 survey conducted by the NGO BRAC. 

Among these groups, the Chakma call it "jhum," the Tripura term it "chug," 
and the Marma refer to it as "ya".