Abdur Rob, from Netrakona
In order to address climate change impacts and reduce the rice production cost, Abdul Hakim, the president of the farmers’ organization in Sadhupara Union of Tarakanda Upazila in Mymensingh district, has been conducting on farm experimentation with 20 rice landraces on his own land since 2009. This problem solving on-farm research has created immense enthusiasm and significant attention among the farming communities in his village. The local farmers actively participated in the on-farm participatory experimentation work.
In 2009, eight (8) out of 20 rice landraces have been found resistant to diseases, low water requirement for cultivation, and good yield too. In the following year, 2010, he again conducted experiment with those 8 varieties. This year, he remarkably observed distinct characteristics in the grains and other traits of one plant during the flowering stage. Hakim collected the grains of that particular plat for further examination and continued monitoring and continued trials for the next 5 years following mass selection method.
In 2011, in the first year of the participatory experiment with the unidentified rice species, it created interest and attention among the rice farming communities due to its yield potentiality, disease resistant quality, grain composition and other traits including taste, cooking quality and straw. From the next season onwards, farmers in Sadhupara started collecting seeds of that rice from Abdul Hakim. In the Aman season of 2019, 17 farmers in the village cultivated Hakim’s rice on their lands and achieved a yield of 6.23 ton/hac without applying any agrochemicals. As a result, the unknown rice became popular in the village, and gradually, it came to be known as ‘Hakim Rice’ as he discovered and nurtured this species.
After five consecutive years of experimentation, proving its adaptability at local context, this rice is cultivated by 94 farmers on 2360 decimals of land in 11 villages of Tarakanda Upazila in Mymensingh district in the year 2023.
Abdul Hakim’s efforts and relentless endeavors have benefited many resource poor farmers in the village, reducing their costs of rice cultivation. Simultaneously, their dependency on the market for seeds has decreased. BARCIK has been providing support and assistance to his exemplary work since 2009.”
Translated by ABM Touhidul Alam
