RANGPUR, Feb 19, 2020 (BSS) – Cultivation of pesticide-free vegetables
adopting eco-friendly agricultural technologies is becoming popular among
farmers in char areas and dried-up riverbeds of Kawnia upazila in the
district.
Being inspired by officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension
(DAE), farmers living in char villages have brought over 100 acres of char
lands under winter vegetables farming in two unions of the upazila alone this
season.
The char people have mostly cultivated winter vegetables and spicy crops
like sweet pumpkin, brinjal, balsam, basil, carrot, radish, spinach, squash,
onion, garlic, gourd, green chili and tomato on char lands.
Talking to BSS, farmers Swadhin Mian, Asaduzzaman and Srikanth Barman of
Char Taluk Shahbaz village in Balapara union of Kawnia upazila said they have
cultivated winter vegetables on more char lands this season.
Farmers Tauhidur, Abdul Malek, Dulal and Belal Hossain of Char Harin
Sharma village in Tepamadhupur union said they have started harvesting their
pesticide-free vegetables and reaping excellent profits following lucrative
price in local markets.
Local Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Emdadul Haque said filed level
agriculture officials are inspiring farmers in cultivating chemical pesticide
free vegetables on char lands adopting latest technologies and agronomic
management.
“After getting repeated bumper production with lucrative price of
pesticide-free vegetables in recent years, char people have cultivated the
same on more chars lands in the two unions of Kawnia upazila this season,”
said Haque.
Kawnia Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Md. Saiful Islam said
the present government is implementing various programs to enhance production
of pesticide-free vegetables adopting eco-friendly agricultural technologies.
“Following motivational activities being conducted by field level
agriculture officials, cultivation of pesticide-free vegetables continues
increasing to enhance production of poison-free vegetables in char areas,” he
added.
Deputy Director of the DAE Agriculturist Dr. Md. Sarwarul Haque said
farmers are cultivating pesticide-free vegetables using composts and organic
pesticides without using chemical pesticides on char lands also like in some
areas of mainland.
“Popularisation of ecological agriculture like cultivation of pesticide-
free vegetables on char areas with application of bio-fertilizers and
composts can also reduce negative impacts of conventional agriculture on
public health and environment,” he said.
Knowing success of char people in farming pesticide-free vegetables,
Deputy Commissioner Md. Asib Ahsan with Kawnia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ulfat
Ara Begum visited pesticide-free vegetables on char lands in the upazila on
Tuesday afternoon.
On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioners visited growing pesticide-free
vegetables on vast tracts of char lands in Char Taluk Shahbaz village in
Balapara union and Char Harin Sharma village in Tepamadhupur union and talked
to local farmers.
Local farmers Asaduzzaman, Swadhin Mian and many others narrated the
success they have achieved in farming pesticide-free vegetables with the DAE
assistance on char lands on the Teesta riverbeds this year like in previous
seasons.
The char farmers informed the Deputy Commissioner that they were earning
lucrative profits through cultivation of different varieties of pesticide-
free vegetables those have huge demand in local markets.
Expressing satisfaction over success achieved in farming pesticide-free
vegetables on char lands, the Deputy Commissioner said the government is
implementing various programmes to produce high quality agricultural
products.
“The programmes should be implemented properly to enhance production of
pesticide-free vegetables adopting eco-friendly technologies in
synchronization with climate change to bring more profits to farmers and
improve public health,” he said.