Two solar-driven irrigation units set up in Sunamganj district ready for operation this season under FREAP — FE Photo SYLHET, Nov 04: With a target to rehabilitate the crop damage, inflicted by the massive flood in 2022, a comprehensive project has been initiated in the country's haor region, comprising seven districts.
Designed to reconstruct the agricultural landscape damaged by the flood, the scheme focuses on bringing back normal levels of economic and social activities in the region.
But sources apprehend that it would not be possible to complete the project in time
due to relatively slow-pace progress.
Official data shows that the devastating calamity had caused Tk11.03 billion (Tk 1,113 crore) crop damage in the said region.
Contacted, director of the project Dr Toufique Rahman told this correspondent that after approval of the 'Flood Reconstruction Emergency Assistance Project' (FREAP) at the ECNEC, it was started in the target area.
Of the total allocated Tk 3.0 billion (Tk 300 crore), the ADB financed Tk2.56 billion (Tk256.48 crore) while the government of Bangladesh provided Tk 0.4352 billion (Tk43.52 crore), the project director said.
Initially, the project got underway in April of 2023 and is set to end by March 2026.
The overall progress is over 45 per cent, the director claimed, saying 50 per cent of the farmers' training has been completed.
However, technology demonstration progress is about 50 per cent while agriculture machinery sale to farmers is 35 per cent and irrigation tool setting target has been achieved by 45 per cent, he said, adding, "We are trying to do things in time."
Once implemented, the project will help bring fallow lands under high-value crop farming, expand water and power saving irrigation system, increase mechanised and commercial cultivation, crop diversification and expand cultivation of the short-duration but high-yielding varieties of crops in the target areas of 35 upazilas under the seven haor districts, the official said.
The districts are Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Netrakona and Brahmandaria.
The aim of the project includes raising intensive farming of crops through adopting sustainable and newer technologies, crop productivity and climate-smart agriculture through flood-tolerant farming system. Crop intensity would be raised to 176 per cent from the existing 174 per cent. On the other hand, 1.5 lakh farmers in 4,950 groups alongside the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials would be imparted training on newer technology, the project director said, adding a number of farm entrepreneurs would be created too.
"We have been doing demonstration of modern technology alongside crop production through setting demonstration plots," the PD said.
Low lift pumps are being distributed and drip irrigation systems set in addition to establishment of solar irrigation units etc.
Agriculture multipurpose centers are also being established to facilitate crop marketing, farmers' training and consultation as well as to preserve farm products during flood.
With a target to resolve farm labuor shortage in haor districts, crop production costs would be reduced through timely transplantation and crop harvest and other steps for farm mechanisation, the official said.
On the other hand, farmer groups are being trained and provided with garden tillers, driers and threshers at 70 per cent subsidised rates.
Moreover, climate-smart technology like vegetable farming on floating beds, garlic farming without ploughing, farming on sacks, community gardening, seed village, vermicompost fertiliser expansion etc have been under implementation, the director said.
The project implementation will also improve the socio-economic condition and sustainable job opportunities will be available in the haor region.
Meanwhile, DAE, Sunamganj Deputy Director Bimol Chandra Shome told this correspondent that out of 24 allocated for the district, seven solar irrigation schemes set in the upazilas are ready for operation this winter.
Each will help irrigate 50 to 60 bigha land. Besides, farmers' training has been on alongside other works under the FREAP.
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