FENI, May 31: In a field on the outskirt of Feni town, 67 varieties of hybrid and inbred rice have been experimentally cultivated together.
This trial is taking place on approximately 20 acres of land in North and South Kashempur, under Panchgachhia Union of the district's Sadar Upazila.
National award-winning former Assistant Agricultural Extension Officer Md. Azizul Haque is leading this project. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and the Seed Certification Department have provided project supervision and technical support.
Md. Azizul Haque said that since 2024, he has been running a project to test new rice varieties and produce seeds in the vast fields of Kashempur Village. The seeds produced are marketed under the government-approved name 'Feni Smart Krishi'.
He said that in the current Boro season, he cultivated 54 hybrid rice varieties on 162 plots in the field. On the other hand, he cultivated 13 rice varieties under trial by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute on 39 plots. Additionally, for seed production, among the latest BRRI-approved varieties, salt and climate-tolerant BRRI-117 was cultivated on four acres, pest and disease-tolerant BRRI-114 on four acres, protein-rich BRRI-108 on four acres, zinc-rich BRRI-102 on three acres, diabetes-resistant BRRI-105 on one acre, and cancer-resistant BRRI-115 (Black Rice) on one acre. Furthermore, another three acres were cultivated for hybrid rice seed production.
Agricultural and rice scientists from across the country regularly supervise this project. The mentioned 20 acres of land produce approximately 60 metric tonnes of rice. The time required from seed sowing to harvest is between 135 and 150 days.
Md. Azizul Haque said that even after retiring from government service in 2019, he continues to encourage marginal farmers in various ways to increase agricultural production and promote farming. Hundreds of farmers from Feni and surrounding areas flock to this field to see his project. He advises them practically on advanced agricultural technology and innovation. During the last Aman season, he distributed 10 kg each of BRRI-110 seed rice produced by Feni Smart Krishi among 500 farmers, so that they become eager to produce more on less land and meet the country's food demand.
He said that hybrid and inbred rice varieties are tested at eight research centres in the country. The research centre for Chittagong division is located in Kashempur, Feni.
Officer Md. Mominul Islam of the Feni Seed Certification Department said that they regularly supervise and provide technical support to this project in Kashempur. They keep a regular watch on matters such as pest attacks and how the rice production is progressing.
