RANGPUR, Oct 31 (BSS): The farmers are continuing harvest of short duration Aman rice in full swing creating huge jobs for farm-labourers during 'lean period' of 'Aswin' and 'Kartik' months in Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said early harvest of short duration Aman rice began a month ago and the process will continue during whole 'lean period' till end of November.
Expanded cultivation of short-duration Aman rice has become popular successfully combating 'monga' in last ten years in the region fulfilling another pledge of the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, they said.
Agriculturist Dr Md Abdul Mazid, who got the Independence Award 2018 Medal (food security) this year, said expanded farming and early harvest of short duration Aman rice and cultivation of subsequent winter crops on same land create huge jobs during lean period.
"The jobless day and farm labourers are successfully tackling seasonal lean period getting jobs in crop fields this time like in the previous nine consecutive years in the region," he said.
The government adopted the three-year (2008-2010) Greater Rangpur Monga Mitigation Programme (GRMMP) in 2008 for large-scale cultivation of short duration Aman rice with early harvest to create jobs for farm-labourers during seasonal lean period.
After harvesting short duration Aman rice, farmers are cultivating early potato, winter vegetables, mungbean, maize and mustard on the same land also increasing crop intensity to reap more profits.
Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said farmers have cultivated Aman rice on 0.60 million hectares of land exceeding fixed target of bringing 0.59 million hectares of land by 1.64 per cent in the region this season.
"Of them, farmers have cultivated short duration Aman rice varieties on 61,012 hectares of land, 10.10 per cent of the totally cultivated land area in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region," Islam said.
Deputy Director of DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said farmers already harvested short duration Aman rice on 25,591 hectares of land in the region producing 78,863 tonnes of clean Aman rice (0.11 million tonnes of paddy).
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