Monday Musing
[ Junroi Mamai ]
Every year, with the approach of summer, we see the hills around us on fire and the clear blue sunny skies turning a dull shade of amber for weeks on end. It is the time of the year when farmers in several parts of our state prepare to cultivate their land.
Jhum cultivation or shifting cultivation is a practice deeply rooted in cultural traditions, with communal participation and rituals associated with land clearing and sowing. It is practiced predominantly in the hilly terrains, where modern agricultural techniques are often challenging to implement due to difficult topography. The tribal communities rely on this method for food security, cultivating crops like rice, maize, millets and vegetables. This farming practice has several environmental consequences, which has become more pronounced due to increasing population pressure and reduced fallow periods.
There were reports of people setting forests on fire as part of shifting or jhum cultivation in some areas near the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) also. According to a report published in 2022, a total of 31 cases of forest fire were reported in the ICR within 2017 to March 2022. The numbers may have doubled now, not only in the ICR but in most parts of the state. Sadly, no one is keeping a count and the hills continue to burn every year.
Jhum or shifting cultivation is often criticised for its detrimental impacts on the environment. Deforestation and loss of biodiversity is one of the major concerns, apart from soil erosion and degradation, decline in soil fertility, scarcity of water, siltation, carbon emissions and, of course, climate change.
With the rise in population, forests are rapidly turned into farmlands and the practice of jhum cultivation has only aggravated the problem. Water sources are fast drying up in many parts of the state, owing to an increase in jhum cultivation. Most district administrations in the state have to issue advisories and hold public meetings every year, urging farmers not to set forests near catchment areas on fire, so that the perennial sources of water do not dry up. The problem however, continues to persist.
With each passing year, the problems arising out of jhum cultivation have also increased manifold. Urgent government interventions and sustainable alternatives to tribal communities are the only ways to mitigate these issues in the long run.
Many experts suggest improving the traditional jhum practice, like longer fallow periods, mixed cropping, and organic soil enrichment methods, instead of finding an alternative practice of farming. Agro forestry and terrace farming can be adopted in our state, besides taking up alternative livelihoods programmes, community-based forest management and conservation by adopting traditional knowledge with eco-friendly farming methods.
Jhum cultivation in Arunachal Pradesh is a time-honoured practice that supports the livelihoods of many tribal communities. However, its environmental consequences necessitate a shift towards more sustainable agricultural practices. With appropriate government interventions, community participation, and adoption of modern agricultural techniques, it is possible to strike a balance between tradition and environmental conservation.