A Jhum Field Grown for Birds

On the green hills outside Bandarban, one jhum field has an unusual purpose: its rice is grown for birds, not people. There are no scarecrows among the rows of paddy, and the slopes fill with birdsong.

The idea came from Dr Pu Chaw Nu Marma, a former divisional director and civil surgeon who remembers a time when forests were denser and birds were far more numerous. Concerned about the loss of habitat and natural food, he set aside 60 decimals of his own land last year for rice and other cereals intended for birds and wildlife.

Young people from Green Milieu took up the idea this season. The organisation, which works on biodiversity conservation, indigenous rights, climate justice and cultural preservation, cultivated rice, sesame, pumpkin, native corn, bamboo, beans, cucumber and several varieties of gourds and vegetables.

“

We believe that the world is for everyone, and we have to take care of all living beings.

“We believe that the world is for everyone, and we have to take care of all living beings,” said Puchainu Marma, Green Milieu’s head of communication. Ukhingnue Chak, the group’s operations and strategy lead, said indigenous communities once grew what they needed and left the rest for nature, but that people now increasingly seek to take everything for themselves.

The group also performed a traditional ritual before planting. Indigenous communities commonly honour Abongma, the jhum goddess, with offerings and ceremonies that vary from village to village. Green Milieu built a bamboo platform and offered flowers and fruit as part of its effort to keep the tradition alive.

The initiative responds to a practical problem. Deforestation is reducing bird habitats, while pesticide use and nets in fruit gardens can further restrict access to food. The jhum field offers a small, deliberate refuge within a changing landscape.

“

But now, people want to take everything for themselves without thinking.