RANGPUR, Oct 18, 2019 (BSS) – The farmers, filed level agriculture
officials, teachers, students and common people eliminated over 9.82 lakh
rats saving 7,371 tonnes of crops worth Taka 16-crore last year in all five
districts of Rangpur agriculture region.
Agriculturists disclosed the information on Thursday afternoon at
launching function of the month-long Rat Elimination Campaign-2019 and
distribution of prizes among successful rat-killers of all five districts
under the agriculture region.
The Rangpur regional office of the Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE), its Rangpur district and Sadar upazila offices jointly organised the
function at conference room of the DAE’s Additional Director in the city.
Chairman of Rangpur District Council Advocate Chhafia Khanom attended the
function and inaugurated the campaign as the chief guest.
With Regional Additional Director DAE Agriculturist Muhammad Ali in the
chair, it’s Deputy Director for Rangpur Agriculturist Dr. Md. Sarwarul Haque
and Deputy Director for Gaibandha Dr. SM Ferdous addressed the function as
special guests.
Deputy Directors and Additional Deputy Directors (Plant Protection) of
DAE, District Training Officers, Upazila Agriculture Officers, Agriculture
Extension Officers, Sub-assistant Agriculture Officers and farmers from all
over the region were present.
Additional Deputy Director (Plant Protection) Agriculturist Matlubar
Rahman of the DAE delivered PowerPoint presentation narrating the damages
being caused by rats to crops and properties annually and suggested the way-
outs.
Side by side with destroying 10 to 12 percent or even more of cereal and
other crops, rats damage boundaries of arable lands, roads, flood control
embankments, irrigation canals and other properties every year in the
country.
“Rats destroy about 5 to 7 percent Aman paddy, 4 to 10 percent wheat, 5 to
7 percent potato, 6 to 9 percent different fruits, 5 percent vegetables, 10
percent coconut, huge stored crops and 7 to 10 percent irrigation water
causing massive losses annually,” he said.
Agriculturist Alam said agriculture activists, farmers, students, teachers
and common people participated in the campaign last year killing over 9.82
lakh rats saving 7,371 tonnes of various in Rangpur agriculture region.
“Rats annually destroy huge paddy sufficient for feeding 50-55 lakh people
in the country,” he said putting stress on creating social awareness for
eliminating rats to save huge crops for attaining sustainable national food
security.
The chief guest called upon filed level agriculture officials and workers,
farmers, students, teachers and common people to make the rat elimination
campaign successful and save huge crops for national food security.
Later, she distributed prizes among farmers, sub-assistant agriculture
officers and educational institutions of the region for killing maximum
number of rats last year.