Efforts for Aman rice farming despite floods in Rangpur region

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RANGPUR, July 31, 2019 (BSS) – The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) with other agriculture related organisations have engaged into hectic efforts to make T-Aman rice cultivation programme a successful despite floods in Rangpur agriculture region.

The farmers are continuing transplantation of Transplanted Aman (T-Aman) rice seedling in full swing in all five districts of the region where flood situation continues improving rapidly now.

The DAE officials said farmers have already completed transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling on 1.63-lakh hectares of land, 25.65 percent of the total targeted land area for cultivation of the crop in the region.

Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said a target of producing 18.08-lakh tonnes of clean T-Aman rice (27.13 tonnes of paddy) from 6.35-lakh hectares of land has been fixed for the region this time.

The DAE, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, BADC, Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities and other organisations have taken ample steps in the pretext of current floods to make the T-Aman rice cultivation programme successful.

“Meanwhile, farmers have prepared T-Aman seedling on 34,206 hectares of land, higher by 2,490 hectares against the requirement of preparing the same on 31,716 hectares of land for cultivation of the crop on 6.35-lakh hectares of land,’ he said.

The DAE and flood-affected farmers are now preparing additional T-Aman rice seedling on some 3,000 acres of land to meet emergency situation for re-transplantation of seedling on their submerged croplands after recession of floodwater.

“The farmers have engaged all-out efforts for transplantation and re-transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling as floodwater is receding rapidly from badly affected areas of Kurigram and Gaibandha districts in the region,” Islam added.

Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali said massive post-flood agri-rehabilitation programs are now underway as per government directives to assist affected farmers recouping crop losses caused by the current deluge.

“The floods inundated standing crops on 34,210 hectares of land, and of them, totally damaged crops on 20,960 hectares of land, affecting 3.36-lakh farmers and causing production losses of 69,549 tonnes of crops worth Taka 235 crore,” he said.

The submerged crops included Aman rice seedbed on 6,198 hectares of land in the region where a favourable condition is prevailing now for transplantation or re-transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling.

“We are preparing 202 community seedbeds on one acre of land each in Kurigram (100 acres), Gaibandha (100 acres) and Lalmonirhat (two acres) from where farmers would get Aman rice seedling for re-transplantation on their flood-affected croplands,” he said.

Besides, DAE is preparing buffer seedbeds of late variety Aman rice on 75 hectares of land in compounds of two Agriculture Training Institutes, three Horticulture Centres and three BADC Farms in Rangpur division.

“The flood-affected farmers also have 260 tonnes of late ‘Ganjia’ variety of Aman rice seed in their hands and they are preparing seedbeds in Kurigram, Gaibandha and other affected areas in the region,” Ali said.

Talking to BSS, flood-affected farmers Abdul Mazid of village Godai Balapara and Sufia Khatun of Char Kawnia village in Kawnia upazila said they are getting assistance from DAE and NGOs for re-transplantation of T-Aman rice seedling on submerged croplands.