SYLHET, Dec 26: With a view to extending irrigation facilities to croplands, some 34 new low lift pumps (LLPs) would be installed in Sylhet district under the minor irrigation development programme this season.
It would help produce winter crops including Boro paddy in Sylhet district in the coming year, an official at the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) said.
On implementation, the official said, the irrigation schemes will help produce about 4,000 tonnes of paddy, as over 1700 hectares of land would be brought under irrigation facilities.
The BADC has started implementing the programme in areas including some less developed zones of different upazilas in the district.
"Hopefully, the work would be completed in two months, but the farmers would be able to get the benefit in next winter", he added.
The farmers will get water from the nearby sources like canals and rivers through power pumps for irrigating the Boro lands through pucca drains, the official informed adding required electricity lines will be erected through PDB or Sylhet Palli Bidyut Samity.
However, in some of the irrigation schemes, the farmers would have to arrange kutcha drains. Highest 250 farmers will be benefited in each of the projects, the official informed.
Talking to this correspondent, some farmers' groups of different irrigation schemes said it is a great opportunity for them.
"Vast croplands had remained arable during the dry season for ages mainly due to lack of irrigation. Now we are able to irrigate those for Boro paddy mainly, in addition to other Rabi crops", they added.
Talking to this correspondent assistant engineer of the BADC, Sylhet, Rubaiyet Faisal Al Masum said the small irrigation schemes have brought major change in the agriculture in the area, which had long been far behind in farming due to absence of water for Boro paddy and other winter crops.
"We helped farmers’ groups to get organised for each of the irrigation scheme areas, the official added. The farmers have to pay annual rent for the irrigation structures in addition to charge for electricity during the cropping season", the official further said.
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