Call to popularise unpuddled transplanted rice in N dists

RAJSHAHI, Nov 12 (BSS): Agricultural scientists and researchers have urged the farmers to promote unpuddled transplanted rice to mitigate the water-stressed condition in Barind area.

They identically mentioned that the cost-effective modern farming system can be expanded to more than 0.16 million hectares of land in high Barind tract comprising ten upazilas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts.

They came up with the observation while addressing a farmers' field-day styled "Unpuddled transplanted rice" at Rajarampur village under Godagari upazila in Rajshahi district on Sunday. More than 100 farmers both male and female joined the meeting sharing their views on the farming system.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and CIMMYT-Bangladesh jointly organised the meeting under the "Sustainable and Resilient Farming Systems Intensification in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (SRFSI) project.

Director (On-farm Wing) of DAE Dr Abdul Muyeed addressed the meeting as the chief guest with its Additional Director Mustafizur Rahman in the chair.

Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr Aminul Islam, DAE District Training Officer Monjurul Haque, BARI Senior Scientific Officer Dr Shakhawat Hossain and upazila agriculture officer Shafiqul Islam also spoke.

Highlighting the salient feature of the technology Dr Aminul Islam told the meeting that the system is very effective of making the farmers benefited in Boro season.

The technology could be the effective means of utilising the minimum amount of water for crop like avoiding paddling operation in present context of climate change.

Dr Muyeed put emphasis on devising way and means to promote unpuddled transplanted rice as it not only minimises using of water but also reduces production cost and increases profit.