BSS, Rangpur :
A bumper production of maize is likely in Rangpur agriculture region where farmers have exceeded the fixed farming target by 1.90 percent during the current Rabi season.
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said maize plants are growing fabulously, predicting a bumper production of the less irrigation water consuming cereal crop having huge demand in local markets.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 11,33,325 tonnes of maize from 1,04,045 hectares of land for all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
“However, enthusiastic farmers have brought 1,06,207 hectares of land under its cultivation, exceeding the fixed farming target by 2162 hectares of land or 1.90 percent,” Ikbal said.
“Maize cultivation is expanding every year improving the livelihoods of farmers also helping them in achieving self-reliance,” Additional Director of the DAE’s Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Tauhidul Ikbal told BSS.
The growing demand of maize in the country’s flourishing poultry, dairy and animal husbandry sectors and food industries is inspiring famers to further expand its cultivation as a cash crop to reap more profits.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said there are more potentialities to further increase maize yield by bringing vast tracts of char lands in the riverine areas.
Cultivation of maize is expanding fast both on the main land and riverine char areas improving the livelihoods and living standard of small and marginal farmers, landless char and riverside people during the last 13 years in the region.
Alongside the government’s incentives, many NGOs distributed high yielding varieties of maize seeds and inputs among landless, small and marginal farmers, especially in char areas, for further enhancing maize cultivation this season.
People living in char and riverside areas are bringing more lands under maize farming on char lands on the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Kartoa, Ghaghot, Atrai and other riverine areas in Rangpur region this season.
“The expanding maize cultivation is largely helping small and marginal farmers, landless char and riverside people in cutting poverty and improving their livelihoods braving the adverse impacts of climate change,” Rashid said.
Agriculturalist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Medal-2018 (food security), stressed on expanding cultivation of the low-irrigation water consuming maize crop also to save huge underground water amid changing climate.
“Maize has a huge demand in local markets as it is being used as fodder of cattle-heads and poultry birds as well as in the animal husbandry, poultry and food industries sectors bringing lucrative prices and benefits to farmers,” he added.
Talking to BSS, farmers Rafiuzzman, Moinul Haque, Amirul Islam, Jamal Uddin and Mofizar rahman of different villages in Rangpur said they are taking care of the growing maize plants hoping to get a super bumper production of the cash crop this year.
