BSS, Rajshahi :
The seed production activities under the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has attained a significant success in terms of supplying quality paddy seed to farmers in the region for the last couple of years.
Rafiqul Islam, a farmer of Godagari Upazila, told BSS that he had purchased 630 kilograms of BRRI Dhan 28 seed from BMDA’s Godagari Office and made seedbed and the germination rate is around 100 percent.
Two other farmers- Firoj Kabir and Nazmul Huda- also used the BMDA’s seed on his seedbed and claimed that the germination rate is the same.
Simiarly, farmers Jalal Uddin, Golam Mostofa and Afsar Uddin of Tanore Upazila after using the same category seed have become happy overseeing the 100 percent germination rate.
In Mohanpur Upazila, three farmers- Habibur Rahman, Shariful Haque and Abdul Hamid- claimed that their germination rate is around 95 percent.
Officials told BSS here that the Tk 10.32 crore project titled “Quality Seed Production on Farmers Field” has been implemented in all the 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts.
The main thrusts of the five-year project were to motivate farmers towards producing improved varieties of local and high yielding seeds and train up 16,000 farmers and staffs on production, procurement, processing and preservation of quality seed.
ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture), said the BMDA is, at present, providing irrigation facilities to around 7.42 lakh hectares of land in Aman season and 3.84 lakh hectares of land in Boro season.
“To cultivate these lands in both the seasons, 43,645 tonnes of seeds are required every year,” he said.
For the sake of sustainable crop production alongside encouraging the farmers in crop farming, Rafiqul Islam said quality seed production should be enhanced at the farmers’ level.
Under the project, he added that around 2,000 tonnes of seeds were produced and disbursed among the farmers and around 12,000 farmers were given necessary training on production, procurement, processing and preservation of rice seed through establishing around 625 demonstration plots during the last five years.
BMDA has been extending technical service and providing required inputs like seed, fertilizer and pesticides to the targeted farmers, he added.
Process for distributing 500 tonnes of certified procured seed among the farmers throughout the region for the current Boro season is at the final stage.
Around 40,000 farmers were benefited after cultivating paddy on around 50,000 hectares of land with the seeds.
“Actually, now we are facing a great trouble to face the farmers demand despite stockpiling huge seed among different other government and private level organizations concerned,” agriculturist Rafiq added.
“Besides, we are procuring breeder seed from BRRI and taking certificate from the Seed Certification Agency for producing quality seed,” Rafiqul Islam said adding that necessary steps are being taken to avoid duplication.
If the project activities were expedited and expanded more, he hoped that the existing deficit of quality seed could be reduced to a greater extent, which will help boosting rice production together with supplement the government’s endeavor to ensure food security of the nation.
The seed production activities under the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has attained a significant success in terms of supplying quality paddy seed to farmers in the region for the last couple of years.
Rafiqul Islam, a farmer of Godagari Upazila, told BSS that he had purchased 630 kilograms of BRRI Dhan 28 seed from BMDA’s Godagari Office and made seedbed and the germination rate is around 100 percent.
Two other farmers- Firoj Kabir and Nazmul Huda- also used the BMDA’s seed on his seedbed and claimed that the germination rate is the same.
Simiarly, farmers Jalal Uddin, Golam Mostofa and Afsar Uddin of Tanore Upazila after using the same category seed have become happy overseeing the 100 percent germination rate.
In Mohanpur Upazila, three farmers- Habibur Rahman, Shariful Haque and Abdul Hamid- claimed that their germination rate is around 95 percent.
Officials told BSS here that the Tk 10.32 crore project titled “Quality Seed Production on Farmers Field” has been implemented in all the 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts.
The main thrusts of the five-year project were to motivate farmers towards producing improved varieties of local and high yielding seeds and train up 16,000 farmers and staffs on production, procurement, processing and preservation of quality seed.
ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture), said the BMDA is, at present, providing irrigation facilities to around 7.42 lakh hectares of land in Aman season and 3.84 lakh hectares of land in Boro season.
“To cultivate these lands in both the seasons, 43,645 tonnes of seeds are required every year,” he said.
For the sake of sustainable crop production alongside encouraging the farmers in crop farming, Rafiqul Islam said quality seed production should be enhanced at the farmers’ level.
Under the project, he added that around 2,000 tonnes of seeds were produced and disbursed among the farmers and around 12,000 farmers were given necessary training on production, procurement, processing and preservation of rice seed through establishing around 625 demonstration plots during the last five years.
BMDA has been extending technical service and providing required inputs like seed, fertilizer and pesticides to the targeted farmers, he added.
Process for distributing 500 tonnes of certified procured seed among the farmers throughout the region for the current Boro season is at the final stage.
Around 40,000 farmers were benefited after cultivating paddy on around 50,000 hectares of land with the seeds.
“Actually, now we are facing a great trouble to face the farmers demand despite stockpiling huge seed among different other government and private level organizations concerned,” agriculturist Rafiq added.
“Besides, we are procuring breeder seed from BRRI and taking certificate from the Seed Certification Agency for producing quality seed,” Rafiqul Islam said adding that necessary steps are being taken to avoid duplication.
If the project activities were expedited and expanded more, he hoped that the existing deficit of quality seed could be reduced to a greater extent, which will help boosting rice production together with supplement the government’s endeavor to ensure food security of the nation.
