BSS, Rajshahi :
Farmers in the Hard Barind area comprising Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainwabgonj districts need time-fitting training and motivation on how to cultivate more less-irrigated crops to lessen the existing pressure on groundwater, speakers at a training session said.
They viewed there is no alternative to encourage the farmers to promote various cereal crops and vegetables instead of only Irri-boro paddy on the dried land to face the water stress condition as its groundwater table has gradually been declining.
The observation came at a daylong training styled “Farmers-motivation towards cultivation of less-water consuming crops” where more than 50 grassroots farmers attended. Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) organized the event at its Niamatpur Zone yesterday aims at disseminating modern knowledge and other know-how to the farmers so that they are interested to the issue.
BMDA Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid and Executive Engineer Nazirul Islam addressed the opening session as chief and special guests respectively with ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture), in the chair.
Senior Scientific Officer of Regional Wheat Research Station Dr Ilias Hossain, BMDA Assistant Engineer Motiur Rahman and Upazila Agriculture Officer Monzur Hossain conducted the training as resource persons.
The chief guest said more than 600 farmers will be brought under the training programme for cultivation of less-water consuming crops like cereal, pulses, oilseed, tuber and vegetables in the preliminary stage. He said around 3,500 liters of water is needed to produce one kilogramme of paddy as irrigation. But seven bighas of wheat could be cultivated with the same irrigation water.
Engineer Rashid suggested development and dissemination of appropriate farm machinery like power tiller operated seeder, strip till and zero till, bed planter, reaper and thresher to promote the less-water consuming crops especially wheat successfully.
He views the continuous paddy farming in the barind tract will face an acute crisis. So, more importance should be given on the crops which need less-irrigation.
On the other hand, he said the agriculture system of the drought- prone barind tract has started facing problems due to multifarious reasons including the adverse impact of climate change.
So, there is no way but to adopt modern technologies to protect the farming practice from further deteriorating condition after addressing the constraints to ensure food security of the nation in the days ahead. Engineer Abdur Rashid told the attending farmers that the BMDA has been working relentlessly to protect the farming system from all sorts of adverse situation.
Farmers in the Hard Barind area comprising Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainwabgonj districts need time-fitting training and motivation on how to cultivate more less-irrigated crops to lessen the existing pressure on groundwater, speakers at a training session said.
They viewed there is no alternative to encourage the farmers to promote various cereal crops and vegetables instead of only Irri-boro paddy on the dried land to face the water stress condition as its groundwater table has gradually been declining.
The observation came at a daylong training styled “Farmers-motivation towards cultivation of less-water consuming crops” where more than 50 grassroots farmers attended. Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) organized the event at its Niamatpur Zone yesterday aims at disseminating modern knowledge and other know-how to the farmers so that they are interested to the issue.
BMDA Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid and Executive Engineer Nazirul Islam addressed the opening session as chief and special guests respectively with ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture), in the chair.
Senior Scientific Officer of Regional Wheat Research Station Dr Ilias Hossain, BMDA Assistant Engineer Motiur Rahman and Upazila Agriculture Officer Monzur Hossain conducted the training as resource persons.
The chief guest said more than 600 farmers will be brought under the training programme for cultivation of less-water consuming crops like cereal, pulses, oilseed, tuber and vegetables in the preliminary stage. He said around 3,500 liters of water is needed to produce one kilogramme of paddy as irrigation. But seven bighas of wheat could be cultivated with the same irrigation water.
Engineer Rashid suggested development and dissemination of appropriate farm machinery like power tiller operated seeder, strip till and zero till, bed planter, reaper and thresher to promote the less-water consuming crops especially wheat successfully.
He views the continuous paddy farming in the barind tract will face an acute crisis. So, more importance should be given on the crops which need less-irrigation.
On the other hand, he said the agriculture system of the drought- prone barind tract has started facing problems due to multifarious reasons including the adverse impact of climate change.
So, there is no way but to adopt modern technologies to protect the farming practice from further deteriorating condition after addressing the constraints to ensure food security of the nation in the days ahead. Engineer Abdur Rashid told the attending farmers that the BMDA has been working relentlessly to protect the farming system from all sorts of adverse situation.
