Happy Roy from Netrokona
The rural communities, particularly women lead a very simple life and become contented with two meals a day. They are happy to share and exchange things with their neighbors and chat with them during their leisure times. They also share happiness and sorrow with neighbors, exchange of various materials, cooperation, advice After doing all those household works some of them also get busy to take care of their livestock which are considered as their family members.
However, when the male member of the family works in the field all day, the female member from home is busy cultivating vegetables in her own yard. They collect, conserve and plant seeds of different vegetable and plants and nourish those plants for ensuring foods for their family members.
Mala Akhter, a farmer from Kandapara village in Laxmiganj union is one such women who gets busy the whole day to feed the family members. She is a member of the Samata Krishak Krishani organization formed in this village. She has been an active member of the organization since its inception. Generally, the organization was formed to involve the farmers in the cultivation of local varieties of vegetables in their backyards. That is why in the year 2019, according to the demand of the agricultural members of the organization, some vegetable seeds such as chichinga, squid, cucumber, rice, pumpkin, etc. were distributed among them.
Mala Akhtar along with other members were also given such seeds. She planted the seeds of each variety in her homestead lands with great care and she has been cultivating these vegetable for the last 3 years. Presently she is farming chichinga, kankrol, chalkumra, cucumber, jute and data and conserved all the seeds of those vegetable she cultivated in the last 3 years. She also distributed some of her vegetable among the neighbors with free of cost.
She is now able to meet the vegetable demand of her family which are considered as nutritious and safe foods since chemicals and other harmful elements are not applied in the cultivation of those vegetable. She also can sell the surplus vegetable that earns her cash. Besides, she distributes some of her vegetable among neighbors and relatives.
Mala Akhter has two cows and uses cow dung, household waste etc. as fertilizers for her vegetable cultivation. Besides, she has ducks and chickens as well. In addition to these, she also works as a tailor in her leisure time.
Mala Akhetr said, ‘There is no loss (loss) if we take a little more time and cultivate (vegetables). Soil) never cheats. We have to do our own thing, then the soil will show the results. In the past, I did not have any seed of any crop. But today I have conserved seeds of different vegetable and even can share and exchange those with others.’ Mala Akhter was saying the words with firm conviction and a lot of pride. At one time she had no seeds. Now she is self-sufficient. She collects and cultivates seasonal seeds and conserves the seeds.
Farmer Mala Akhtar, who produces safe, nutritious food, is not dependent on the market. In addition, she is encouraging many women in the area to get involved in vegetable production in a sustainable way. She distributes seeds among her neighbors and he thinks that giving something to someone does not diminish that thing rather it increases relationship. Therefore, she goes from house to house in her own interest to bring all the women in the area who are not involved in vegetable farming due to lack of seeds and advices. Mala Akhter by doing this has earned respect from other women and become their role model today.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin
