Scientific Assessment Report On Bamboo Flowering, Rodent Outbreaks and Food Security: Rodent ecology, pest management, and socio-economic impact in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh November 30th, 2008 Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility A project financed by the European Union Copyright © 2008 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh UNDP UN Offices, 18th Floor IDB Bhaban Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207 Bangladesh The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations, including UNDP, or their Member States. This report has been prepared by a team of authors drawn from many of the major research institutions and universities of Bangladesh, including Government and Non-Government institutions involved in the rural livelihood development sector and experts on rodent pest management research and knowledge extension. This team of authors has been led by the international expert on rodent ecology and management, Dr Steven Belmain from the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom, who has worked in collaboration with many institutions within Bangladesh on improving the way in which rodent pests are managed. Dr Belmain is currently involved in the DFID-funded project Rat Management for Rural Communities in Bangladesh. We, the below undersigned, declare ourselves to be the joint authors of this manuscript and have contributed to its preparation at the request of the United Nations Development Programme. We approve the contents of this manuscript and support its recommendations. Dr. S.M. Fakhrul Islam Md. Sayeed Ali Professor Director, Plant Protection Department of Agricultural Economics Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University Dr. Nazira Q. Kamal Formerly: Head of Entomology, Director of Research Dr. Santosh Kumer Sarker and Director of Administration at Bangladesh Rice Formerly: Chief Instructor (Rodent Specialist) at Research Institute (BRRI) at Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) ATM Hasanuzzaman Dr. Noor Jahan Sarker Scientific Officer Professor Vertebrate Pest Division Department of Zoology (Wildlife) Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) University of Dhaka Udayan Dewan Dr Sohrab Uddin Sarker Director, Program and Communication Professor Organization for the Poor Community Advancement, Department of Zoology (Wildlife) Mirsarai, Chittagong University of Dhaka Mohammad Harun Md. Nazmul Islam Kadry Rodent Extension Specialist Community Extension Specialist AID-COMILLA AID-COMILLA DFID-funded Rat Management for Rural DFID-funded Rat Management for Rural Communities Communities Abul Kalam Azad Community Extension Specialist Lalit C. Chakma AID-COMILLA Executive Director DFID-funded Rat Management for Rural Strategic Actions Society (SAS) Communities Rangamati, Chittagong Hill Tracts And Dr Steven Belmain Team Leader & Rodent Ecologist Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich United Kingdom 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................3 Acronyms and Terminology ...........................................................................................................4 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................5 Introduction and Background .........................................................................................................6 Methodology...................................................................................................................................7 Findings..........................................................................................................................................8 Conclusions..................................................................................................................................10 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................12 Annex I: Bamboo/Rodent Ecology ...............................................................................................15 Executive Summary..................................................................................................................15 Introduction to Bamboo Ecology ..............................................................................................15 Introduction to Rodent Ecology ................................................................................................16 Rodent Impacts on Livelihoods ................................................................................................17 Rodent Management................................................................................................................18 Consequences of Rat Floods ...................................................................................................20 References ...............................................................................................................................21 Photographs from the CHT highlighting evidence of rodent damage and indigenous rodent management technology...............................................................................................23 Annex II: Food Security Crisis and Socio-economic Impacts of Rat Floods in the CHT .............30 Executive Summary..................................................................................................................30 General Description of the Study Area.....................................................................................30 Demographic and Socio-Economic Characteristics .................................................................31 Recommendations for Mitigating Socio-Economic Impacts of Rat Floods ..............................40 References ...............................................................................................................................41 Annex III: Address List of Mission Team Members and Co-authors............................................42 Annex IV: List of Stakeholders, Account of Discussions and Information Collected ...................43 Annex V: Alikadam Mro Community Leader’s Representation to Bandarban District Council .........................................................................................................................................47 Annex VI: Extracts of a letter prepared by the Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture Extension for Bandarban Hill District Council ..............................................................................49 3 Acronyms and Terminology AID-Comilla: Association for Integrated Development, Comilla BARI: Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute BSMRAU: Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University CHT: Chittagong Hill Tracts. DAE: Department of Agriculture Extension District: The largest administrative unit, of which there are three in the CHT: Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Rangamati. DU: Dhaka University EBRM: Ecologically-Based Rodent Management, a concept of rodent management similar to Integrated Pest Management that aims to generate and use knowledge on rodent biology, behaviour and ecology to more effectively target management resources at the right time and place. EBRM aims to be environmentally sustainable and cost-beneficial for end users of EBRM. FGD: Focus Group Discussion FUO: Fever of Unknown Origin, a clinical category widely used when diagnostic screening has been unable to establish the causative etiologic agent or when diagnostic tests are unavailable Hill District Council: Local governmental structures set up in each district after the signing of the 1997 peace accord. Jhum: Rotational slash and burn cultivation practiced on steep hillsides by indigenous peoples of the CHT. Jhumias: People who practice jhum cultivation. Karbaris: Local village-level elected leaders, the lowest level of leadership in the traditional system of tribal governance. NRI: Natural Resources Institute of the University of Greenwich, UK Para: The administrative unit beneath Union level. Regional Council: A local governmental structure set up after the signing of the 1997 peace accord. UNDP: United Nations Development Programme. Unicef: United Nations Children’s Fund. Union: The administrative unit beneath Upazilla level. UP: Union Parishad: lowest level of government administration; committee membership is elected at the Ward level. UPCs: Union Parishad Committees. Upazilla: The administrative unit beneath District level. WFP: United Nations World Food Programme. WHO: United Nations World Health Organisation. Zoonosis (pl. zoonoses): Any infectious disease that is able to be transmitted (vectored) from wild or domestic animals to humans. This includes all diseases with an animal origin such as malaria, dengue, rabies, ebola, leptospirosis, influenza, west nile virus, plague, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, bilharzia, anthrax, lassa fever etc. The pathogen may not actually cause disease symptoms in the animal, but when transferred to humans, it results in illness. Rodents are known reservoirs and vectors for more than 60 different zoonotic diseases transmittable to humans. 4 Executive Summary Rodent population outbreaks following gregarious bamboo flowering is a real and