Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands

Scientist Pawan Kaushik of RFRI, Jorhat addressing the National conference in Allahabad. (Sentinel)

Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands

: From a Correspondent
JORHAT, Oct 8: The agroforestry and eco-development scientist of Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI), Pawan K Kaushik raised his voice to implement a new policy on eco-rehabilitation of degraded jhum land addressing the socio-cultural issues and incorporating benefits of recent technological developments to improve upon the jhum practice widely prevalent in the Northeast. In a paper presented yesterday at the National Workshop on ‘Rehabi-litation of Degraded Lands’ organized by Centre for Social Forestry and Eco-rehabilitation, Allahabad (under ICFRE), Kaushik called for introduction of an effective policy for eco-restoration of degraded lands. Different forms of jhum practices in the region depending on agro-climatic zones and socio-cultural behaviours, basically involving slashing and burning of forests on sloping lands, followed by cultivation of different crops often intermixed on the same jhum plot. Socio-cultural behaviour of the tribals in the region is almost regulated according to the jhum activity calendar. The jhum plot in which crop is harvested is left abandoned for restoration through natural regeneration. This naturally restored land is revisited after completion of a jhum cycle in a particular jhum plot.
In his paper, Kaushik pointed out that in some areas shifting cultivators have preferred different kinds of settled cultivation by adopting viable land use systems. And in favour of this fact the practice of jhum should be improved by framing a people friendly policy. Referring to the various studies conducted in India and abroad the paper on jhum stated that the earlier strategy was to stop jhum cultivation completely but the strategy proposed by him is to develop jhum practice by providing a scientific viable alternative where soil erosion is effectively controlled. For example, jhum cultivators in Nagaland have found that tree cultivation on hill slopes is more profitable and less demanding than jhum cultivation and more and more of them are taking to this.
The strategy further proposed an improvement of socio-economic conditions, special education programmes to ensure children attend schools (almost half the year they go with their parents for jhum) and other infrastructural facilities like roads, communication, etc. Kaushik also took into account the capacity building of the jhumias for improved jhum practices with water and soil conservation methods, making improved paddy and other seeds besides organic pesticides and fungicide available to them, and helping them install the bio-drainage models and run off disposal channels to minimize soil nutrient loss from the jhum fields.
Kaushik further pointed out the fact that any development works or technologies can’t be imposed on the generally ignorant shifting cultivators in the name of weaning them away from the primitive agricultural practice. He, therefore, suggests that any policy to control shifting cultivation should invariably take into account their customary laws and rituals. Their food habit along with food security is also an important aspect to be considered while framing any scheme. The jhum cultivators should also be taken into confidence while formulating any scheme for them and their participation should be ensured right from the planning phase of implementation.
Taking into consideration the legal aspects Kaushik said that all the customary laws among the jhumia communities should be documented in all the States so as to enable proper planning of schemes in conformity with the customary laws.
The paper suggested that it is necessary to frame suitable regulations to regulate jhum practices to ensure scientific inputs for improved jhum cultivation in different States and where any statutory laws or regulations already existed, it should be implemented properly, amending parts if and where necessary. In regard to institutional aspects, the paper suggested that the State should identify and recognize the relevant traditional institutions in jhum practices and these traditional institutions prevalent among the jhumia villages, need to be strengthened with administrative support, for example Goan Burahs, the Bor Goan Burahs, particularly by recognizing these institutions and giving them facilities etc.
Village Development Councils or such institutions need to be organized and empowered in the same way as the Panchayats in the plain areas.
At the State-level, he proposed to set up a powerful institution for integration and co-ordination of different schemes of different development departments and co-ordination particularly to pay attention to the jhum cultivation.
The paper further suggested that the existing research institutions in the region should be strengthened suitably and continue to serve the interest and development of jhum cultivators. Efforts should also be made to co-ordinate and collaborate in the research and development needs of the jhum cultivators in an integrated manner.
In conclusion, the expert on eco-restoration said that in absence of an effective policy the bio-diversity is continuously decreasing. Repeating his concern on immediate need, he advocated introducing a new eco-restoration policy keeping in view the past experiences and recent technological developments for sustainable utilization of natural resources besides eco-restoration.