Rangpur char people show interest in ‘sandbar cropping’ technology

RANGPUR, Apr 02: The people of different char areas under Rangpur agriculture region are showing their interest in farming crops using 'sandbar cropping' technology.

Previously, many char lands remained fallow over the years as people did not know how to grow crops there but the scenario has changed now with the introduction of modern technology.

At present, the farmers are becoming successful in growing vegetables like sweet pumpkin and squash even on barren char lands using the latest technology, sources said.

Agriculture production on fallow and unproductive sandbars is an innovative technology for the char people. It has shown remarkable effect on the poor people in terms of food security. This technology has brought noteworthy changes in the life of the ultra poor living in char areas, sources said.

Practical Action Bangladesh (PAB), a UK-based non-government international organisation introduced the technology to the farmers. It is providing all kinds of technical assistance to the growers through its partner local organisations including RDRS across the region.

Thousands of holes are made, each no more than a metre across, dug into the sand bars. Then the holes are filled with compost. Into these, farmers are able to plant seeds, from which crops are grown, said Nirmol Chandra Bepari, Manager (Agriculture), Practical Action, Bangladesh. The poor family members can eat, store and also can sell the crop to make money, he added.

So far the organisation provided support to some 22,000 char households under different projects with the help from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for pumpkin farming on sandbars in around 200 villages across the region, he said.

Rabiul, a pumpkin grower of village Char Mahipur under Gangachara upazila in Rangpur told FE that the technology has proved successful in the fallow char lands. Once he had to struggle a lot to maintain his impoverished family with his petty amount of income but now he is able to combat poverty through farming crops on abandoned char lands, he added.

According to sources, the technology is a blessing for thousands of farmers. It has helped them improve their financial condition as well. It has already become popular among the growers of the region, sources added.

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