BSS, Rangpur :
The farmers have started reaping benefits of the conservation agriculture (CA) technologies in increasing crop output at reduced costs to ensure food security despite climate change in northern Bangladesh.
According to experts, adoption of the CA-based technologies with mechanisation of agriculture has also been improving environment, ecology, bio-diversity, soil health and fertility side by side making farm activities more profitable for farmers. The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, Wheat Research Centre, other organisations and NGOs have been popularising CA-based technologies among the farmers in recent years.
Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr M A Mazid said expanded adoption of CA-based agri-technologies at the farmers’ level would further increase crop production despite adverse impacts of climate change.
“Adoption of CA-based technologies would become unavoidable in near future following climate change impacts to keep food production increasing at reduced costs saving water, facilitating crop intensification and remunerative markets for produce,” he said.
Dr Mazid laid importance on quicker dissemination of the latest CA-based technologies among farmers with increased subsidies for easier procurement of necessary machineries, inputs, spares and other materials by them to facilitate the process.
Noted Agriculturist and Executive Director of North Bengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said adoption of CA-based technologies would reduce costs for labours, fuel and irrigation, crop duration and improve fertiliser managements.
“The farmers are being benefited using CA-based minimum tillage or strip tillage with power-tiller operated seeder (PTOS) machines, direct seeded rice, Alternate Wetting & Drying (AWD), bed-planting in light texture soil at different areas,” he added.
Horticulture Specialist Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam of the DAE said
mechanisation of agriculture and adoption of CA-based technologies like AWD irrigation method through public- private and GO-NGO collaboration have been expanding in the northern region.
“A target of bringing one lakh hectares of land, 21.13 percent of the total targeted 5.02 lakh hectares of land, would be brought under AWD irrigation coverage under Rangpur agriculture region during this Boro season,” he added.
While narrating the benefits of the CA-based technologies to BSS,
Extension Agronomist Anarul Haque at Dinajpur Hub of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) predicted brighter prospect of these technologies.
The farmers have started reaping benefits of the conservation agriculture (CA) technologies in increasing crop output at reduced costs to ensure food security despite climate change in northern Bangladesh.
According to experts, adoption of the CA-based technologies with mechanisation of agriculture has also been improving environment, ecology, bio-diversity, soil health and fertility side by side making farm activities more profitable for farmers. The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, Wheat Research Centre, other organisations and NGOs have been popularising CA-based technologies among the farmers in recent years.
Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr M A Mazid said expanded adoption of CA-based agri-technologies at the farmers’ level would further increase crop production despite adverse impacts of climate change.
“Adoption of CA-based technologies would become unavoidable in near future following climate change impacts to keep food production increasing at reduced costs saving water, facilitating crop intensification and remunerative markets for produce,” he said.
Dr Mazid laid importance on quicker dissemination of the latest CA-based technologies among farmers with increased subsidies for easier procurement of necessary machineries, inputs, spares and other materials by them to facilitate the process.
Noted Agriculturist and Executive Director of North Bengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said adoption of CA-based technologies would reduce costs for labours, fuel and irrigation, crop duration and improve fertiliser managements.
“The farmers are being benefited using CA-based minimum tillage or strip tillage with power-tiller operated seeder (PTOS) machines, direct seeded rice, Alternate Wetting & Drying (AWD), bed-planting in light texture soil at different areas,” he added.
Horticulture Specialist Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam of the DAE said
mechanisation of agriculture and adoption of CA-based technologies like AWD irrigation method through public- private and GO-NGO collaboration have been expanding in the northern region.
“A target of bringing one lakh hectares of land, 21.13 percent of the total targeted 5.02 lakh hectares of land, would be brought under AWD irrigation coverage under Rangpur agriculture region during this Boro season,” he added.
While narrating the benefits of the CA-based technologies to BSS,
Extension Agronomist Anarul Haque at Dinajpur Hub of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) predicted brighter prospect of these technologies.
