Tobacco farming jeopardising environment, agriculture

COX'S BAZAR, Mar 10: Farmers in Chakaria and Ramu upazilas of Cox's Bazar are switching to tobacco cultivation despite the crop being harmful for environment as well as agriculture.

Sources said tempted by a lucrative income from tobacco, most of the farmers are opting to cultivate it on a larger scale instead of producing other agricultural crops including paddy and vegetables, threatening food security eventually as well.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Cox's Bazar, some 740 hectares of land have been brought under tobacco cultivation in the two upazilas this year.

As far as the horizon extends, there are tobacco fields on both banks of the Bankkhali River in Ramu, Rajarakul, Moishkum, Gorznia, Kachapia, Napiterchar, Kawarkhop, Monirjheel and Fakrikata areas. Fairly large areas of agricultural land in the two upazilas are also under occupation of tobacco farming.

Of the total 18 unions of Chakaria upazila, tobacco is cultivated prominently in eight unions.

Tobacco plantations are mostly frequently seen in Bamu Bilchari, Surajpur, Manikpur and Kakara unions. Tobacco is also being cultivated in the char (shoal) areas and on the banks of the Matamuhuri River that runs through three unions of the upazila.

During monsoon, silt accumulates on both sides of the river. And most of the fertile land is taken over by tobacco. But in the less fertile land around the river, almonds, corns, mustard, vegetables, roses, sunflower and boro paddy are cultivated.

People here depend on natural water sourced from the Sangu, Matamuhuri and Bankhkhali rivers but the rivers are now becoming unsafe or the harmful tobacco cultivation. Fertilisers and pesticides excessively applied in tobacco fields and the chemical components of tobacco getting mixed with the waters of the rivers and reservoirs are causing dangerous pollution.

Fishes are losing natural environment for spawning under the effects of pesticides that get mixed with water especially during the spawning period.

Another concern is that due to unabated tobacco cultivation and processing, school attendance rate of children and adolescents in the respective areas is decreasing day by day.

According to the DAE, Cox's Bazar, the harmful effects of tobacco destroy the fertility of the cropland. Other crops do not grow easily on the tobacco cultivated land. Lured by higher profits from the tobacco companies, some money-hungry farmers get involved in tobacco cultivation during the dry season every year.

According to experts, all the processes from planting tobacco to cutting and drying it involve serious toxic effects. Even after knowing about these dangerous effects, the farmers are leaning towards tobacco cultivation in the hope of extra income.

In its cultivation, the farmers are engaging their wives and young children besides themselves.

As a result, the prevalence of various tobacco-related diseases including cancer is increasing in the region.

Despite knowing about the health and environmental risks, many are unable to quit tobacco farming in the hope of extra profit.

According to local sources, several private organisations have already worked in Cox's Bazar district to protect the balance of environment and ensure food security, but the farmers have no interest in stopping tobacco cultivation. As a result, the tobacco companies have been investing in tobacco farming every year by holding the local farmers hostage and showing various temptations.A few farmers said that tobacco cultivation is really harmful but due to lack of money, they were forced to grow it. Growing tobacco fetches more money than crops; so most of the farmers are more interested in growing tobacco instead of other crops in the hope of extra profit despite knowing about all the harmful factors.

Ramu Kachapia Union Parishad Chairman Abu Noman Mohammad Ismail said that despite knowing about the threat to the environment and public health, the farmers are reluctant to quit tobacco cultivation due to the loan assistance and lucrative offers by the tobacco companies.

Environmentalists complained that excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers on copper has increased river pollution. It is destroying the environment and biodiversity.

Assistant Agriculture Officer of the DAE, Cox's Bazar Ashish Kumar said tobacco is a very harmful element for the environment. Due to its cultivation, the fertility of soil is lost. No other crops grown in the land where tobacco is cultivated once.

"We have been encouraging the farmers to quit tobacco farming in various ways. Farmers who grow tobacco do not receive any assistance from the Agriculture Office," he said.

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