Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, May 19, 2025 (BSS)- Speakers at a training workshop here today urged field-level agriculture officers to properly implement the Upazila Land and Soil Resource Use Guideline and motivate grassroots farmers to follow it for the balanced use of fertilisers.

The guideline prescribes that balanced fertiliser application is crucial for protecting soil health from further degradation, increasing crop production, and ensuring food security.

Agricultural officers and experts observed while inaugurating two-day training for sub-assistant agriculture officers (SAAOs) and potential farmers at the conference hall of Regional Office of Agriculture Information Services.

Rajshahi divisional office of Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) as part of its Acidic Soil Management Programme organized the training aimed at disseminating the ideas and aspects of the soil resource guideline.

The training programs focus on topics like soil health management, balanced fertilization, and identification of adulterated fertilizers. SRDI develops tools like the Upazilla Nirdeshika for local agricultural planning and guides farmers on fertilizer use.

Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Dr Azizur Rahman and Deputy Director Umme Salma addressed the opening ceremony as chief and special guests respectively with SRDI Chief Scientific Officer Amir Muhammad Zahid in the chair.

SRDI Principal Scientific Officer Dr Nurul Islam welcomed the participants.

Dr Azizur Rahman said utmost emphasis should be given to habituating the grassroots farmers towards soil test-based balanced fertilization. There would be no fertilizer crisis in the country if the farmers were enriched with the knowledge of balanced fertilization.

Soil expert Dr Nurul Islam called for creating awareness among farmers on using appropriate and balanced fertiliser in soil to enhance productivity as well as protect public health.
 
He said the SAAOs should take the responsibility of letting the farmers know about the importance of using suitable fertiliser based on the condition of the soil as soil nutrients have gradually been declining due to disproportionate use of fertiliser creating a negative impact on the soil productivity.
He further mentioned that lesser use of organic matter, absence of green manure, and inadequate application of bio-fertilisers are also contributing to soil degradation.

The training also aims to equip participants with the skills to identify spurious fertilisers and make use of available soil testing tools and resources to ensure scientific fertiliser use in agriculture.