Conservation agri-technologies increase crop output

RANGPUR, Dec 9 (BSS): Large-scale adoption of the conservation agriculture (CA)-based technologies can substantially increase crop output at reduced costs saving huge resources to make farm activities more profitable and ensure food security.

The nation can achieve its sustainable food security through quicker dissemination of the latest and proven CA-based agriculture technologies at the farmers' level to further increase crop production despite adverse impacts of climate change.

According to agriculture officials and experts, large-scale adoption of the CA-based technologies can also improve environment, ecology, bio-diversity, soil health and fertility side by side making farm activities more profitable.

Associate Director- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr M A Mazid said adoption of the CA-based technologies will increase crop yield, save water and other resources, facilitate crop intensification and remunerative markets for produce.

He put emphasis on quicker dissemination of the proven CA-based technologies among farmers with subsidies for easier procurement of necessary machineries, inputs, spares and other materials by them to facilitate the process at larger scale. For example, adoption of the CA-based Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology reduces 5 number irrigations compared to farmers' general practice saving 30 litres diesel for irrigation to produce 500 kg more paddy per hectare," he said.

If the AWD technology was adopted for irrigating 48 lakh hectares of Boro fields in the country, it could bring benefit to the extent of Taka 6,500 crore annually producing 24 lakh tonnes more paddy and saving huge diesel and electricity, he added.

He said adoption of the AWD method substantially reduces lifting of underground water and increases Boro rice production at reduced costs amid climate change saving environment, ecology and bio-diversity.

Noted agriculturist and Executive Director of North Bengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman CA-based technologies reduce crop durations, improve nutrient and fertiliser managements reducing labours, fuel and water costs.