1. Modern Technology And Management Implication For Sustainable Agriculture On CHT Of Bangladesh.
Masud Hassan
University of Dhaka
Introduction:
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is the only extensive hill area in Bangladesh and it is located in the southern eastern part of Bangladesh. The area of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is about 13,184 sq km, of which 92% is highland, 2% medium highland, 1% medium lowland and 5% homestead and water bodies. Total population of CHT is 13,31,996, of which about 51% is tribal people. Shifting agriculture (Jhum) is still the cultivation systems in this region with little impact of different plans and programs to promote the agricultural land use patterns. As a result the tribal populations are suffering from food insecurity and the shifting agriculture has led to indiscriminate destruction of forest for food resulting ecological degradation. Promoting sustainable development in the uplands of Chittagong Hill Tracts poses important challenges. The upland areas are remote, and are mostly inhabited by many ethnic minorities. The majority of the ethnic minorities are Chakma (48%) and Marma (28%). The incidence of poverty is very high. To meet the livelihood needs, upland farmers often use unsustainable land use practices.
Poverty caused by traditional agriculture and environmental degradation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh need policies and programs for environmentally compatible and economically viable agricultural systems. However, policies and programs aimed at promoting alternative land use systems have failed to achieve expected goals because of inadequate understanding of the evolution of the existing land use systems and forces driving the changes
To understand and design policies and programs of the highly complex agricultural systems and the land use patterns of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, the determinants and patterns of the agricultural systems must be identified and also the systems must be modeled and simulated for management strategies for sustainable development to ensure food security.
These area’s people have been losing their interests in cultivating indigenous crops like paddy, banana, maize, sesame, cotton, potato, pumpkin etc. as they became defaulters of loans provided by tobacco companies.
2. Water storage : In the Chittagong hill tract, Water is not easily available in the winter season. But, In order to development of agriculture and increase of product, water should be storage in the rainy season for the winter season. A huge amount of water can be storage that helps to increase the production.
3.Subsurface Drainage technic: A sustainable drainage system  is designed
to reduce the potential impact of new and existing developments with
respect to surface water drainage discharges. The term sustainable urban
drainage system is not the accepted name, the 'Urban' reference having
been removed so as to accommodate rural sustainable water management
Practices. A subsurface drainage system consists of a surface or subsurface
outlet and subsurface main drains and laterals. Water is carried into the outlet
by main drains, which receive water from the laterals. Sub mains are sometimes
used off the main drain to collect water. That help to protect soil and its organic
matter from being erosion. That is the main condition for sustainable agriculture. 4.Organic farming: is a form of agriculture that relies on sustainable techniques
to enhance the natural fertility of a farm, including crop rotation, companion
planting, biological Pest control, and naturally-sourced fertilizers such as
manure, green manure, and bone meal. Organic fertilizers are fertilizers
derived from animal matter, animal excreta manure, human excreta , and
vegetable matter. (e.g. compost and crop residues).Naturally occurring
organic fertilizers include animal wastes from meat processing, peat,
manure, slurry, and guano.
n this figure, we can see the map of CHT areas of bangladesh,
Development/results:
In my view, if we change the system and bring some new modern, environment-friendly technology that can create more production and development. Among this technology, some of them are like: soil and land management, development of irrigation and drainage technology, store water in rainy season and use it in dry season for more production, use of pesticides and fertilizer, proper agriculture management, seed and crop management, developed knowledge among farmer about selling their crop. By improving this technology, we can produce more production .
If we can create this development, people of this CHT area become more economically developed that helps to bring factor on other development like education, social development, their lifestyle. I don’t want to change their lifestyle but development of agricultural ideas about how to produce more crop with less effort with modern technices
Background
Bangladesh is a small country with a lot of opportunities mainly in the agricultural purpose all over the country especially Chittagong hill tract area (Rangamati, Banderban and Khagrachori). My idea is about the development of an agricultural system of Chittagong hill tract of Bangladesh in where still have primitive agriculture system presenting there. In this primitive system, production of crops is remaining constant because it is not still not connected with modern technology and management system. Major problem of their agriculture is listed below:
Lack of water storage capacity
Lack of Irrigation management
Inefficiency of knowledge of agriculture
Thousands years old primitive cultivation system like Jhum cultivation
Lack of uses of fertilizer and pesticides.
Little utilization of organic farming
For less production of crops and good, people of that region still living under the poverty line. They have the lack of education, health service, social consciousness and so on. But, it can be developed by changing agriculture production because it is the root problem of all problem
Modern technology and management
1.Irrigation technology:In order to slopy land, Hill areas need new method for getting more efficient water. Terrace farming is a type of farming that consists of different "steps" or terraces. That were developed in various places around the world.
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