Short duration paddy farming sees huge success
Friday, 3 December 2010
Our Correspondent
RANGPUR Dec 2: Trial farming of the short-duration variety of paddy locally called 'Parija dhan' being cultivated in the northern region has shown great potential in addressing food security and coping with the climate change effects.
After success of the trial farming, the authorities concerned are now encouraging the farmers to increase the land areas for cultivation of the crop.
RDRS Bangladesh Head of Agriculture MG Neogi said the organisation has encouraged 3,000 farmers in the region to cultivate the paddy variety and they have cultivated it on 1,000 acres of land. The organisation now has set a target to supply 10,000 tonnes of seeds among 10 thousand farmers aiming to expand the farming to 30,000 acres of lands in eight district of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.
Cultivation of this variety during the off period between two crops, namely Boro and T-Aman, can produce about nine million tonnes of paddy against the country's annual deficit of 2.5 to 3 million tonnes.
The total annual rice deficit of the country could be addressed through Parija farming on 600,000 hectares in greater Rangpur and Dinapur districts and on 3.5 million hectares of land all over the country.
RDRS, Bangladesh has successfully conducted field level research work from 2006 and the trial of 'Parija dhan' has yielded positive results, MG Neogi, Head of Agriculture of the organisation said.
A farmer can harvest 3 tonnes of rice on an average from one hectare of land. About 1.8 million tonnes of surplus rice can be produced on 600 thousand hectares of lands per annum in the eight northern districts, the scientist added.
The lands are left fallow till mid July after harvest of Boro paddy. The farmers generally start planting T-Aman seedlings on the same land from late July. They can make use of this fallow lands during the two and a half months for Parija farming to get three crops a year, Boro, Parija Dhan and T-Aman instead of the two.
The seedbeds of Parija can be prepared at least 15 days before harvest of Boro paddy at the end of April, Neogi further said. Lands are needed to be ploughed well soon after the harvest of Boro paddy. In 15-20 days plants can be transplanted and within 75 days the paddy can be harvested.
He also said if the farmers become habituated with the cropping pattern, additional 1.8 tonnes of rice could be yielded from the 600 thousand hectares of land in the region.
About 2.5 million farm labourer in the region. About 2.5 million farm labourer in the region could have at least 15-20 day work in the farm lands. Thus about nine million tonnes of rice can be produced across the country. RDRS conducted extensive research work in Parija Dhan farming under the cropping pattern of irrigated rice-Kushi Dhan-monsoon rice for increasing rice production in the recent years.
Parija dhan can mitigate seasonal food insecurity and job crisis in northern Bangladesh, Neogi said.
A farmer needs to spend at least Tk 20 thousand for cultivating boro paddy on one acre of land and Tk 15 thousand for T-aman farming while the parija variety costs only Tk 10 thousand. Farmers will be much more benefited if the cropping pattern is expanded appropriately across the country.
Late floods damage T-aman almost every year due to the global climate change. The farming of the variety could offset effects of the climate change and meet the food production deficit of the country.
During the last ten years it has been observed that flood usually occurs in our country between late August and mid September. Since the variety could be harvested in early August, the farming has no risk at all.
Haider Ali, a farmer at Gojoghanta union under Gangachhara upazila of Rangpur district expressed his satisfaction over the farming.
'I cultivated Parija dhan on one acre of land soon after harvest of Boro dhan with the help of RDRS and got 35 maunds of paddy last year.
"The crop was harvested within 80 days of the farming. I will cultivate the paddy on more land next year." he added.
RANGPUR Dec 2: Trial farming of the short-duration variety of paddy locally called 'Parija dhan' being cultivated in the northern region has shown great potential in addressing food security and coping with the climate change effects.
After success of the trial farming, the authorities concerned are now encouraging the farmers to increase the land areas for cultivation of the crop.
RDRS Bangladesh Head of Agriculture MG Neogi said the organisation has encouraged 3,000 farmers in the region to cultivate the paddy variety and they have cultivated it on 1,000 acres of land. The organisation now has set a target to supply 10,000 tonnes of seeds among 10 thousand farmers aiming to expand the farming to 30,000 acres of lands in eight district of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.
Cultivation of this variety during the off period between two crops, namely Boro and T-Aman, can produce about nine million tonnes of paddy against the country's annual deficit of 2.5 to 3 million tonnes.
The total annual rice deficit of the country could be addressed through Parija farming on 600,000 hectares in greater Rangpur and Dinapur districts and on 3.5 million hectares of land all over the country.
RDRS, Bangladesh has successfully conducted field level research work from 2006 and the trial of 'Parija dhan' has yielded positive results, MG Neogi, Head of Agriculture of the organisation said.
A farmer can harvest 3 tonnes of rice on an average from one hectare of land. About 1.8 million tonnes of surplus rice can be produced on 600 thousand hectares of lands per annum in the eight northern districts, the scientist added.
The lands are left fallow till mid July after harvest of Boro paddy. The farmers generally start planting T-Aman seedlings on the same land from late July. They can make use of this fallow lands during the two and a half months for Parija farming to get three crops a year, Boro, Parija Dhan and T-Aman instead of the two.
The seedbeds of Parija can be prepared at least 15 days before harvest of Boro paddy at the end of April, Neogi further said. Lands are needed to be ploughed well soon after the harvest of Boro paddy. In 15-20 days plants can be transplanted and within 75 days the paddy can be harvested.
He also said if the farmers become habituated with the cropping pattern, additional 1.8 tonnes of rice could be yielded from the 600 thousand hectares of land in the region.
About 2.5 million farm labourer in the region. About 2.5 million farm labourer in the region could have at least 15-20 day work in the farm lands. Thus about nine million tonnes of rice can be produced across the country. RDRS conducted extensive research work in Parija Dhan farming under the cropping pattern of irrigated rice-Kushi Dhan-monsoon rice for increasing rice production in the recent years.
Parija dhan can mitigate seasonal food insecurity and job crisis in northern Bangladesh, Neogi said.
A farmer needs to spend at least Tk 20 thousand for cultivating boro paddy on one acre of land and Tk 15 thousand for T-aman farming while the parija variety costs only Tk 10 thousand. Farmers will be much more benefited if the cropping pattern is expanded appropriately across the country.
Late floods damage T-aman almost every year due to the global climate change. The farming of the variety could offset effects of the climate change and meet the food production deficit of the country.
During the last ten years it has been observed that flood usually occurs in our country between late August and mid September. Since the variety could be harvested in early August, the farming has no risk at all.
Haider Ali, a farmer at Gojoghanta union under Gangachhara upazila of Rangpur district expressed his satisfaction over the farming.
'I cultivated Parija dhan on one acre of land soon after harvest of Boro dhan with the help of RDRS and got 35 maunds of paddy last year.
"The crop was harvested within 80 days of the farming. I will cultivate the paddy on more land next year." he added.