Aftermath of 2007 Rodent Attack

Food crisis still prevails in remote areas of CHT

13 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Najmul Alam Nobin, back from Rangamti

People of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) area are passing days amid concern about food supply in the aftermath of 2007 rodent attacks that caused massive destruction to their crops in fields and stores. During the rat invasion (locally known as indur banya or rat flood), many people in the jhum cultivation areas had to depend on wild potatoes and banana trunk for survival as food problem turned serious. Seed crisis in the following period hampered cultivation of food crops and the situation worsened in absence of assistance from the government. A study report on the rodent crisis, conducted by UNDP in 2008, says insecurity about food is likely to remain a matter of concern for at least another three years. Another survey conducted by World Food Programme (WFP) revealed that local people identified food as their 'top priority' need while shelter, cash and health care ranked second, third and fourth respectively. Through their Rodent Crisis Recovery Programme, the WFP is providing 'cash for work' and 'cash for training' to a selected number of households. But a large number of people, who were outside the purview of WFP projects and assistance programmes by a few other organisations, are living amid concern for food, said several jhum cultivators of the area. “The main concern is to arrange three meals for our eight-member family,” said Shushir Marma, 55, a resident of a remote hilly area of Belaichhari upazila in Rangamati district. “We take vegetables collected from the hills and sometimes catch fish from Rangamati Lake but seldom do we get the chance to eat meat. The rat flood in 2007 wreaked havoc on our jhum cultivation and we are still facing the consequences,” he said, adding, “The situation was not so bad before.” Field-level observation by WFP shows that most of the families cannot afford three meals a day and their intake of protein is very small. A report of September 2008 survey by Helen Keller International (HKI) said 80 percent of the surveyed households were taking smaller meals. A 'significant number' of children fall into 'seriously underweight' category and seven percent children under five had signs of severe malnutrition, the HKI report added. Srikanta Chakma, a field organiser of an organisation and a resident of the area, said food insecurity is the main concern for the people in the CHT area. As there is very little scope to take nutritious and protein food, many people, especially mothers and children, remain undernourished. Urging new survey by government or non-government organisations about their food security and nutrition, Senior Scientist of ICDDR'B Dr SK Roy said ministries of agriculture, food and health should work together to ensure their food security and nutrition. He suggested ensuring regular intake of meat to meet the protein requirement of the people of the area.