Eco-friendly farming boosts yields, cuts costs at Rajarhat

RAJARHAT, KURIGRAM, Ju;y 9: Farmers in Rajarhat Upazila of Kurigram are increasingly turning to organic fertilisers and eco-friendly pest control methods, reducing their reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides while producing safer food at lower production costs.

A recent visit to Mahidhar and Khondokshetra villages in Chhinai Union found farmers cultivating a variety of vegetables using environmental friendly farming techniques.

Growers including Lovely Begum, Moslem, Abul Hossain and Minati Rani are producing country bean, bitter gourd, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage and cucumber using organic methods.

Agriculture officials said only one or two crops were cultivated annually on most farmland in the area in the past. However, the adoption of modern and safe farming technologies now allows farmers to grow three to four crops a year on the same land.

Around 20 farmers are currently producing safe crops on nearly five acres under a demonstration programme.

Instead of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, they are using Tricho compost, mulching paper, pheromone traps, and yellow, white and blue sticky traps, along with other biological pest management techniques.

Encouraged by the success of the model farmers, many others in the area have started adopting the technologies on their own, leading to a steady expansion of safe crop cultivation.

Farmer Lovely Begum said she cultivated bitter gourd on 20 decimals of land using the mulching method.

"The use of yellow sticky traps and poison bait has almost eliminated the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides. My production costs have fallen and the yield has been good. If market prices remain favourable, I expect a good profit," she said.

Farmer Abul Hossain said switching to organic fertilisers and using sticky and pheromone traps had reduced pest attacks, lowered production costs and increased yields.

Another farmer, Moslem, said year-round cultivation had also created more employment opportunities in the agriculture-dependent area.

"Earlier, we often remained unemployed after harvesting one or two crops. Now we can cultivate three or four crops a year, and agricultural workers are earning Tk 400 to Tk 500 a day," he said, adding that the use of organic inputs had also reduced health problems caused by chemical pesticides.

Rajarhat Upazila Agriculture Officer Saifunnahar Sathi said the agriculture department is providing regular training and technical support to encourage safe food production.

"The increased use of organic fertilisers and biological pest control methods is reducing production costs, improving farmers' incomes and ensuring safer food for consumers," she said.