BSS, Rangpur :
As a part of mechanisation of agriculture, RDRS Bangladesh, an NGO, has introduced rice seedling trans-planter under its Sustainable & Resilient Farming Systems Intensification (SRFSI) Project during this Aman season.
The NGO has been implementing the project since May 2014 in Rangpur and Dinajpur under funding of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
The On-Farm Research Division (OFRD) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are the partner organisations to assist implementation of the project.
Under the project assistance, 16 farmers are using rice seedling trans- planter machine in cultivation Aman rice on four acres of land in Gangachara, Mithapukur and Pirganj upazilas of Rangpur and Birganj upazila in Dinajpur this season.
Transplantation of rice seedling using rice trans-planter machine allows the farmers in covering more land area in less time with less labour, reducing burden, achieving uniform spacing and plant density and placing of desired number of seedling.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said they got excellent results using rice trans-planter machine first time during Boro season in May last year at two demonstration plots in Rangpur city.
Transplantation of rice seedling using rice trans-planter machine allows the farmers in covering more land area in less time with less labour, reducing burden, achieving uniform spacing and plant density and placing of desired number of seedling.
“This time, we are expanding use of rice trans-planter machine that ensures uniform depth of transplanted seedling those recover fast and vigorously, healthier and faster growth of the tender plants to ultimately yield better rice yield,” he added.
To demonstrate rice seedling preparation and transplantation technology using rice trans-planter machine, RDRS Bangladesh organised a farmer’s field day in village Shitolgari under Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur on Sunday afternoon.
Additional Deputy Director (Crop) of the Department of Agriculture
Extension Dr Mostafizur Rahman Pradhan attended the occasion as the chief guest with Project Coordinator of SRFSI Project for RDRS Bangladesh Rashedul Islam in the chair.
Mithapukur Upazila Agricultural Officer Khorshed Alam attended as the special guest.
The officials visited the Aman rice seedling production technique and its transplanting process using the rice trans-planter machine on the occasion.
Project Coordinator Rashedul Islam said production of rice seedling on tray, for transplantation using rice trans-planter machine, was a major challenge in the past.
“But, now the farmers have overcome the barriers in producing rice seedling using local resource, wood and polythene mat as an alternative to try to get excellent result,” he added.
The chief guest said the time between crop harvesting and next crop planting becomes shorter due to increasing crop intensity to attain sustainable food security under changed climatic conditions.
Land preparation, preparation and transplantation of seedling and harvest of rice are expensive and time-consuming operations for successful rice cultivation as labour cost accounts the biggest input cost for rice production, he said.
“As a result, rice production is being critically influenced by
appropriate time for seeding preparation and transplanting periods,” he said adding that rice cultivation is a labour-intensive task that could be eased by using rice seedling trans-planter.
Besides, labour crisis and high wages of farm-labourers have been becoming very critical particularly during the peak labour-need periods, which typically occurs during rice seedling transplanting and harvesting periods.
He said rice seedling transplantation technology using rice trans-planter machine would be popular to make rice farming more profitable and encourage the farmers in enhancing rice cultivation reducing costs and saving time for ensuring food security.
As a part of mechanisation of agriculture, RDRS Bangladesh, an NGO, has introduced rice seedling trans-planter under its Sustainable & Resilient Farming Systems Intensification (SRFSI) Project during this Aman season.
The NGO has been implementing the project since May 2014 in Rangpur and Dinajpur under funding of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
The On-Farm Research Division (OFRD) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are the partner organisations to assist implementation of the project.
Under the project assistance, 16 farmers are using rice seedling trans- planter machine in cultivation Aman rice on four acres of land in Gangachara, Mithapukur and Pirganj upazilas of Rangpur and Birganj upazila in Dinajpur this season.
Transplantation of rice seedling using rice trans-planter machine allows the farmers in covering more land area in less time with less labour, reducing burden, achieving uniform spacing and plant density and placing of desired number of seedling.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said they got excellent results using rice trans-planter machine first time during Boro season in May last year at two demonstration plots in Rangpur city.
Transplantation of rice seedling using rice trans-planter machine allows the farmers in covering more land area in less time with less labour, reducing burden, achieving uniform spacing and plant density and placing of desired number of seedling.
“This time, we are expanding use of rice trans-planter machine that ensures uniform depth of transplanted seedling those recover fast and vigorously, healthier and faster growth of the tender plants to ultimately yield better rice yield,” he added.
To demonstrate rice seedling preparation and transplantation technology using rice trans-planter machine, RDRS Bangladesh organised a farmer’s field day in village Shitolgari under Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur on Sunday afternoon.
Additional Deputy Director (Crop) of the Department of Agriculture
Extension Dr Mostafizur Rahman Pradhan attended the occasion as the chief guest with Project Coordinator of SRFSI Project for RDRS Bangladesh Rashedul Islam in the chair.
Mithapukur Upazila Agricultural Officer Khorshed Alam attended as the special guest.
The officials visited the Aman rice seedling production technique and its transplanting process using the rice trans-planter machine on the occasion.
Project Coordinator Rashedul Islam said production of rice seedling on tray, for transplantation using rice trans-planter machine, was a major challenge in the past.
“But, now the farmers have overcome the barriers in producing rice seedling using local resource, wood and polythene mat as an alternative to try to get excellent result,” he added.
The chief guest said the time between crop harvesting and next crop planting becomes shorter due to increasing crop intensity to attain sustainable food security under changed climatic conditions.
Land preparation, preparation and transplantation of seedling and harvest of rice are expensive and time-consuming operations for successful rice cultivation as labour cost accounts the biggest input cost for rice production, he said.
“As a result, rice production is being critically influenced by
appropriate time for seeding preparation and transplanting periods,” he said adding that rice cultivation is a labour-intensive task that could be eased by using rice seedling trans-planter.
Besides, labour crisis and high wages of farm-labourers have been becoming very critical particularly during the peak labour-need periods, which typically occurs during rice seedling transplanting and harvesting periods.
He said rice seedling transplantation technology using rice trans-planter machine would be popular to make rice farming more profitable and encourage the farmers in enhancing rice cultivation reducing costs and saving time for ensuring food security.
