BSS, Rajshahi :
Instead of depending on only Irri-boro farming emphasis should be given on promotion of less-irrigation consuming cereal crops in Barind area to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on underground water table, said Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury.
He viewed that large-scale promotion of less-water consuming crops could be the effective means of mitigating water-stress condition in the drought-prone Barind area.
Dr Chowdhury, Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), referred to various research findings and mentioned that there are enormous scopes of expanding acreage of various low-water consuming crops like wheat, black gram, sesame, lentil, maize and mugdal in the high barind tract.
He was presiding over a daylong workshop styled “Effective Formulation of Annual Performance Agreement in alignment of Sustainable Development Goals” held at BMDA conference hall in Rajshahi city yesterday. BMDA and Governance Innovation Unit of Prime Minister’s Office jointly organized the workshop where all the officials and others concerned attended.
Director General of the governance unit Abdul Halim attended and addressed the discussion as chief guest. Director Rokhsana Siddiquea, Executive Director of BMDA Engineer Abdur Rashid, Superintending Engineer Shamsul Huda, Executive Engineer Abdul Latif and Project Director (Seed) ATM Rafiqul Islam also spoke.
The meeting was told that wheat could be cultivated on seven to eight bighas of land with same amount of irrigation-water needed to irrigate one bigha of Boro rice through soil moisture utilisation and the best uses of the modern technologies.
Wheat plays an important role to ensure food security as its consumption is increasing day by day. But, Bangladesh produces hardly 1 million (10 lakh) tonnes of wheat against the demand of around 4 million tonnes annually.
Dr Akram Chowdhury said the BMDA has a significant contribution in making the Barind area multiple cropping at present instead of single one through providing irrigation.
But, time has come to reduce the farming of Irri-boro paddy through promoting the less-water consuming wheat, maize, pulses, oilseed and spices. “We have to change the mandate of BMDA”, he added. All the authorities concerned and farmers should come forward and work together to this end.
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.
Dr Chowdhury 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.
Instead of depending on only Irri-boro farming emphasis should be given on promotion of less-irrigation consuming cereal crops in Barind area to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on underground water table, said Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury.
He viewed that large-scale promotion of less-water consuming crops could be the effective means of mitigating water-stress condition in the drought-prone Barind area.
Dr Chowdhury, Chairman of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), referred to various research findings and mentioned that there are enormous scopes of expanding acreage of various low-water consuming crops like wheat, black gram, sesame, lentil, maize and mugdal in the high barind tract.
He was presiding over a daylong workshop styled “Effective Formulation of Annual Performance Agreement in alignment of Sustainable Development Goals” held at BMDA conference hall in Rajshahi city yesterday. BMDA and Governance Innovation Unit of Prime Minister’s Office jointly organized the workshop where all the officials and others concerned attended.
Director General of the governance unit Abdul Halim attended and addressed the discussion as chief guest. Director Rokhsana Siddiquea, Executive Director of BMDA Engineer Abdur Rashid, Superintending Engineer Shamsul Huda, Executive Engineer Abdul Latif and Project Director (Seed) ATM Rafiqul Islam also spoke.
The meeting was told that wheat could be cultivated on seven to eight bighas of land with same amount of irrigation-water needed to irrigate one bigha of Boro rice through soil moisture utilisation and the best uses of the modern technologies.
Wheat plays an important role to ensure food security as its consumption is increasing day by day. But, Bangladesh produces hardly 1 million (10 lakh) tonnes of wheat against the demand of around 4 million tonnes annually.
Dr Akram Chowdhury said the BMDA has a significant contribution in making the Barind area multiple cropping at present instead of single one through providing irrigation.
But, time has come to reduce the farming of Irri-boro paddy through promoting the less-water consuming wheat, maize, pulses, oilseed and spices. “We have to change the mandate of BMDA”, he added. All the authorities concerned and farmers should come forward and work together to this end.
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.
Dr Chowdhury 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.
