Rubber Based Rehabilitation In Tripura

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber PlantationProblems and Prospects

Indraneel Bhowmik

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation “Shifting cultivation is the custom of cultivating clearings scattered in the reservoir of natural vegetation(forest or grass-woodland) and of abandoning them as soon as the soil is exhausted; And this includes the custom of shifting the homesteads in order to follow the cultivator’s search for new fertile land.” 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Rubber- raw material for 50,000 articles. Products- aeroplane tyres, tubes, hose pipes, shoes, latex goods, erasers, rubber bands, etc. Two types- Synthetic (petrochemical feeds); Natural (latex from rubber tree). 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation World market: SR- 58%, NR-42%. India: NR- 78%, SR-22%. Natural Rubber- Hevea Brasilliensis. Nodal Agency- Rubber Board, Kottayam(hq).

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Rubber plantations – gestation period 7 years Economic life- 28-30 years Employment potential- one man per hectare Earning potential- Rs. 7000.00 to 10000.00 per ha per month 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Traditional areas KeralaKanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu

2006

Non- Traditional Areas North Eastern States Tripura Assam Karnataka Goa Orissa

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Events in Tripura 1963- Forest Department, Manu and Patichhari 1969- Rubber Board office at Agartala 1976-TFDPC 1983-TRPC 1992-World Bank Project 2005- Rubber Mission 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Year

Area(ha)

Tappable

Prodn

Yield

Farms

1992-93

14305

5172

4030

779

4207

1993-94

15159

6982

5545

794

4830

1994-95

16233

7782

6311

811

5976

1995-96

17885

9074

7258

800

7793

1996-97

19200

10516

8518

810

9507

1997-98

20823

11467

8926

778

11454

1998-99

22578

11395

8946

785

13146

1999-00

23847

11895

9360

787

14866

2000-01

24793

11000

9980

907

15916

2001-02

26045

13529

12999

961

17605

2002-03

26884

14418

14830

1029

18548

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Yield is much below the national average- 1584kgs/ha Average size of the plot: Tripura1.43ha, India-0.57ha Growth rate of area in Tripura is much higher than the national average National Bureau of Soil Survey100000ha in Tripura is suitable 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Resettlement of Jhum cultivators Top priority of the government-

AgenciesTribal Welfare Department- financial assistance, organisational help Rubber Board- technical and financial assistance TFDPC- implementation and marketing TRPC- implementation and management 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Block plantation scheme 45 plantation centres- all over the state 2760 ha 2451 beneficiaries Rubber Producers Societies 1st RPS in North East- Tripureshwari RPS at Mirza, Kakraban Block, South Tripura

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Jhum Cultivation has decreased. 223 sq.kms under jhum. Minimum area under shifting cultivation one time or other- 1115 sq.kms. Natural Regeneration in shifting cultivation in Tripura in 1997 as compared to 1995- 4 sq.kms. 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Not profitable Lack of land Younger generation not interested in jhum Elders misses Jhum, feels it to be part of their culture, lifestyle Not bothered with environmental issues 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Rubber Extremely Profitable Prices of RSS increased almost threefold in the last three years Average annual growth rate (19992005) of farm gate price in South Tripura District- 11.79%

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Craze for tilla land by well off tribals and non-tribals Large scale leasing of land Illegal occupation of forest land Increase in land price

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation Outsiders as plantation owners Possibility of land owners turning out to be tappers? Fears of ethnic clashes???

2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala

Rehabilitation of Jhum Cultivators through Rubber Plantation

Thank You 2006

ICHR Seminar @ TU,Agartala