BSS, Rangpur :
Tens of hundreds of farmers are now reaping huge benefits of a newer cropping pattern, introduced by RDRS Bangladesh, by getting four crops annually on the same land and increasing food production substantially.
The cropping pattern of “Short duration Aman rice- mustard or potato-mungbean- short duration Aus (pariza) rice” improves livelihoods of the small and marginal farmers and creates jobs for the poor enhancing crop intensification to ensure food security.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator Mamunur Rashid of RDRS Bangladesh said the NGO has evolved and introduced the new cropping pattern to increase food output through enhancing crop intensification in attaining food security under changing climate.
“RDRS Bangladesh has been implementing the programme in collaboration with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University and financial assistance of Krishi Gobeshona Foundation in Rangpur division since 2011,” he said.
Only 400 farmers were involved in 2011 for field level experiment of the cropping pattern that has been tested successfully over the years and 3,500 farmers have adopted this pattern this season as it has become very popular in Rangpur division.
After getting repeated bumper productions, 2,200 farmers have cultivated mustard on 2,200 bigha lands and 1,300 others potato on 1,300 bigha lands after harvesting short duration Aman rice adopting this cropping pattern this time in Rangpur division.
He said the new cropping pattern has been gradually replacing Boro rice cultivation by introducing alternative mungbean during Rabi season and short duration pariza rice during Aus season to conserve huge underground water.
“The farmers generally apply 16 to 35 times irrigation consuming 12.465 to 20.925 million litres of water per hectare for irrigating Boro crop by lifting the underground water,” Mamunur said citing results from the tested new cropping pattern.
The new cropping pattern increases 20 percent crop output and reduces irrigation water consumption by three to four times against general practice in farming Boro rice also reducing number of irrigations to conserve huge underground water, he continued.
As a result, the quantity of lifted underground water for irrigating Boro fields also reduces substantially saving underground water to improve environment, ecology and bio- diversity in retarding the desertification process in the region.
Adoption of the newer cropping pattern also helps to increase production of pulse and edible oil seed through cultivation of mungbean and mustard to reduce dependence of the nation on imports of the two essential commodities.
Besides, the biomass of mungbean and mustard increases organic matters and nutrients enhance fertility and soil health increasing cropping intensity and productivity with minimum resource use, he furthered.
While narrating more advantages of the cropping pattern he said that early harvest of the short duration Aman rice like BU dhan-1, BINA dhan-7 creates huge jobs for the day- and farm- labours during the seasonal lean periods.
Talking to BSS, farmers Abul Kalam, Saiful Islam and Abdul Hakim said they have been cultivating four crops on the same land adopting the new cropping pattern that ensures food security and improves soil health, environment, ecology and bio-diversity.
Tens of hundreds of farmers are now reaping huge benefits of a newer cropping pattern, introduced by RDRS Bangladesh, by getting four crops annually on the same land and increasing food production substantially.
The cropping pattern of “Short duration Aman rice- mustard or potato-mungbean- short duration Aus (pariza) rice” improves livelihoods of the small and marginal farmers and creates jobs for the poor enhancing crop intensification to ensure food security.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator Mamunur Rashid of RDRS Bangladesh said the NGO has evolved and introduced the new cropping pattern to increase food output through enhancing crop intensification in attaining food security under changing climate.
“RDRS Bangladesh has been implementing the programme in collaboration with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University and financial assistance of Krishi Gobeshona Foundation in Rangpur division since 2011,” he said.
Only 400 farmers were involved in 2011 for field level experiment of the cropping pattern that has been tested successfully over the years and 3,500 farmers have adopted this pattern this season as it has become very popular in Rangpur division.
After getting repeated bumper productions, 2,200 farmers have cultivated mustard on 2,200 bigha lands and 1,300 others potato on 1,300 bigha lands after harvesting short duration Aman rice adopting this cropping pattern this time in Rangpur division.
He said the new cropping pattern has been gradually replacing Boro rice cultivation by introducing alternative mungbean during Rabi season and short duration pariza rice during Aus season to conserve huge underground water.
“The farmers generally apply 16 to 35 times irrigation consuming 12.465 to 20.925 million litres of water per hectare for irrigating Boro crop by lifting the underground water,” Mamunur said citing results from the tested new cropping pattern.
The new cropping pattern increases 20 percent crop output and reduces irrigation water consumption by three to four times against general practice in farming Boro rice also reducing number of irrigations to conserve huge underground water, he continued.
As a result, the quantity of lifted underground water for irrigating Boro fields also reduces substantially saving underground water to improve environment, ecology and bio- diversity in retarding the desertification process in the region.
Adoption of the newer cropping pattern also helps to increase production of pulse and edible oil seed through cultivation of mungbean and mustard to reduce dependence of the nation on imports of the two essential commodities.
Besides, the biomass of mungbean and mustard increases organic matters and nutrients enhance fertility and soil health increasing cropping intensity and productivity with minimum resource use, he furthered.
While narrating more advantages of the cropping pattern he said that early harvest of the short duration Aman rice like BU dhan-1, BINA dhan-7 creates huge jobs for the day- and farm- labours during the seasonal lean periods.
Talking to BSS, farmers Abul Kalam, Saiful Islam and Abdul Hakim said they have been cultivating four crops on the same land adopting the new cropping pattern that ensures food security and improves soil health, environment, ecology and bio-diversity.
