RAJSHAHI, Bangladesh, Jan 31 (BSS) - Scientists and researchers have underscored the need for utilization of effective and efficient
natural resources to keep the crop productivity of soil sustainable.
They recommended promoting some innovated seeding methods like minimum tillage, bed planting and strip tillage wheat in the field.
They revealed this while visiting some wheat demonstration plots, which were brought under the modern system along with sharing views with the farmers at Kapasia under Paba upazila and Sibpur and Baroipara under Puthiya upazila of the district yesterday.
Deputy Director General of CIMMYT of Mexico Dr Scott Ferguson, Director of Wheat Research Centre (WRC) Dr Shirazul Islam, Principal Scientific Officers Dr Naresh Deb Barma and Dr Israil Hossain, Senior Scientific Officer Nur-E-Alam Siddique and Scientific Officer Mahabubur Rahman visited the demonstration plots to see for themselves themselves the present position.
About 1,000 hectares of land have been brought under the modern wheat farming method in the northern region this season.
Apart from this, they said the raised beds facilitate sowing without waste of time allowing crop growth to better match water
availability side by side with less tillage cost, pest attack and
weed nuisance.
The main objective of the visit was to knowledge- sharing
through discussions and interaction among researchers and farmers
on the field level outcomes along with overcoming the existing
problems being faced by the farmers.
Sharing views with the team members, farmers stated that
strip tillage and bed planting seeding method look better
considering plant stand, crop vigor, less planting cost and less
irrigation water.
They said the new seeding method save tillage cost, utilize
residual soil moisture, timely planting and less weed due to no
tilling operation.
Besides, farmers' income and sustainable livelihood could be
possible through integrated crops and resource management.
"Soil and water can be saved without sacrificing crop yield.
We need to strengthen more participatory research work with
farmers," Dr Scot Ferguson said adding that sustaining crop
productivity we need to utilize natural resources effectively and
efficiently.
Dr Sirajul Islam mentioned opined that water could be saved
utilizing residual soil moisture for crop establishment while Dr
Barma said WRC has a good number of wheat varieties especially
Prodip which could be grown in stress condition.
There are huge scopes for expansion of the wheat area in
Barind. By using the new pattern of crop rotation, he said more
Barind land that remain fallow in the region after the harvest of
transplanted aman each year, could be used to grow wheat or
lentil and followed by chickpea or mugbean, providing small
irrigation facilities.
Dr Israil Hossain mentioned that new seeding devices
becoming popular among the farmers and this resource conserving
technologies need to consider priority basis for avoiding seeding
haggard as this machine finish planting just one operation
without any extra tillage.
In present context of climate change especially
unpredictable rainfall, unusual drought and other natural
calamities, he said this technology can help the farmers to
utilise the minimum amount of water for crop establishment like
avoiding paddling operation.
The demand for food production is gradually increasing to
feed the huge number population and more pressures are coming on
per unit cultivable land. So, the new and updated technology is
capable of enhancing production and productivity in the cost-
effective way, he opined.
To this end, understanding of better livelihoods and
improved mechanisms of stakeholder participation must be ensured.
Different international donor organisations should support
such kind of need-oriented agricultural activity for its large-
scale promotion which needs supply of need-based adequate
machinery.
The policy planners should consider the new agriculture
technology dissemination through their concerned agencies for
better and sustainable agriculture productivity, Dr Hossain
added.
Sharing his field level experience machinery service
provider Monzurul Kader of Chargat said he planted wheat in about
300 bigha using seeder and earn money Taka 90,000 just one
session.
He said the farmers are very interested in pulses seeding.
In this regard, he viewed that there is no alternative but to
promote updated technologies at farmers level to make the crop-
diversification system successful to face the existing
constraints of both surface and groundwater resources.
