Subir Kumar Sarkar from Ghior, Manikganj
Agriculture plays an important role in the development of Bangladesh. People in rural Bangladesh hugely depends on agriculture for their livelihood. This sector also still makes mentionable contribution in the economy of Bangladesh. Many people, particularly in the rural areas take agriculture as their main occupation. Farmer Md. Emdadul Haque (55) is among them who chose agriculture as the main occupation. His home is in Tara village on the banks of Kaliganganga River in Baniajuri union of Ghior upazila and Manigonj district.
Emdadul is father of three children. According to his statement, practicing sustainable agriculture has benefited him as he can run his family expenses through selling the organic products he produced in his fields. He grows vegetables organically on 25 decimal of his land. Where he uses organic fertilizers and organic pesticides which he prepares by himself and having these organic manures and pesticides he needs not use any external ingredients in his fields. Therefore, the vegetables he produced are free from toxins. When asked him about his agriculture practice Emdadul Haque said, “I got good yield by practicing sustainable agriculture which makes me not dependent on market inputs. I have my own seeds, feritlizers and pesticides which also reduce my production cost. He went on saying, ‘ I am benefited cultivating ginger and turmeric along with my five types of banana varieties. Seeing my gourd, the farmers of ours and other villages asked for gourd seeds. I grow vegetables such as brinjal, pepper and papaya at home throughout the year. I also conserve the seeds of all crops that I cultivated.’
Farmer Emdadul exchanges his seeds among his neighborhood and neighbors. This year he will expand the cultivation of Bell potato as he is benefited cultivating this type of potato. He also makes earthworm fertilizer and uses it. Every year he helps the people of the village with various suggestions and advices including vegetable seeds, earthworms. However, seeing the success of Emdadyl four other farmers of the village learned the method of making earthworm fertilizer from him and are using it. In addition, Emdadul Haque has done a nursery in addition to cultivating poison-free vegetables as well. He is producing safe food by growing crops without leaving any land fallow in his own resources. He is developing himself by practicing sustainable agriculture and was selected by BARCIK to one of its research activities called ‘Shotobari’ which means nutrition bank.
Emdadul Haque said, “My house is a Shatabari (Nutrition Bank). There is a variety of biodiversity here. In my house I grow vegetables like gourd, papaya, dateshak, puishak, desi gourd, kachu, sweet pumpkin, rice gourd, shrimp, barbati, beans, bitter gourd, cucumber, red shallot, spinach, desi potato, bell potato, brinjal etc. throughout the year.’ Apart from this, he has planted various types of fruit and timber trees along. There are fruit trees such as mango, jam, banana, kul, coconut, guava, date, bel etc in his house. Besides, he rears ducks, native chickens and pigeons.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin
