Rajshahi farmers start bio-method paddy cultivation

Farmers have started paddy farming through using bio-method in the district creating a high hope of protecting soil health and water from pollution caused by chemical fertilisers and pesticides, reports BSS.

Around 150 farmers in ten villages under Paba Upazila have cultivated paddy on 15 acres of land during the current season after getting technical support from 'South Asia Environmental Capacity Building - Agricultural and Water Pollution Project'.

The farmers applied half-rated chemical fertiliser along with optimum organic fertiliser and bio-pesticide in their paddy fields in order to make them financially benefited side by side with protecting the soil health.

A crop cutting ceremony was organised at Sharishakuri village under the upazila to assess the post-harvest yield yesterday. On the occasion, crops were harvested from two separate demonstration plots, one research and other farmers practice, in presence of agricultural scientists, researchers, development activists and farmers.

Caritas Rajshahi Region is implementing the project with the prime objective of achieving more broad based and sustainable outcomes in health, food security, environment management and economic opportunity in the region.

"We have provided technical knowledge on proper and effective application of organic method in farming fields to the targeted farmers," said Abul Bashar Molla, Research and Advocacy Officer of the project.

Professor Mijanur Rahman from Department of Geography and Environmental Science and Professor Giash Uddin Ahmed from Department of Agronomy and Agriculture in Rajshahi University, Regional Director of Caritas Sukleash George Costa, National Coordinator of the project Zillur Rahman, Regional Agriculture Information Officer Abdullah-Hil-Kafi and Huzripara Union Parishad Chairman Golam Mostofa, among others, were present at the crop-cutting ceremony.

They also assessed yield of the two plots and found almost equal result of the two plots. "I have no witnesses any significant variation between yields of the two plots," said Enamul Haque, owner of the land.

Talking to the news agency on the issue, Prof Mijanur Rahman said integrated efforts of all the government and non-government entities concerned have become an urgent need to prevent the land-based water pollution to protect the habitable environment from all sorts of hazardous condition.