Md. Masudur Rahman from Manikganj
A Farmer Learning Center was established by the farmers of Swaruppur village of Baira Union of Singair Upazila in Manikganj recently. The Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Tipu Sultan Swapan inaugurated the center where farmers exchange of local varieties of vegetable seeds. This learning center is expected to play a significant role in the transfer of knowledge, skills, local varieties of vegetables and seeds among the farmers.
The farmers in Baira and Talebpur Unions have been practicing agriculture environmental science to create awareness about the harmful impact of chemical pesticides at the community level since 2021. They have been conducted campaign in school levels regarding the negative impact of chemicals. These farmers have been practicing to control the attack of harmful insects, preparing vermin compost preparation, organic pesticide and seed exchange among themselves. Besides, they learn from each other through different experience & exposure visit and conduct campaign regarding the toxic chemical to protect to protect children from pesticide poisoning.
While inaugurating the learning center Upazila Agriculture Officer agriculturist Tipu Sultan Swapan said, ‘Ecology is an integrated management. No life will be harmed in this management, every animal will live in its own way in its own environment and the environment, humans and other animals will be saved from the toxicity of chemicals. And for this, we need to increase the use of all organic fertilizers including vermin compost, triocho compost, farmyard manure, green manure etc.’
Mohammad Sarbesh Ali, Deputy Assistant Plant Conservation Officer of Singair Upazila Agriculture Extension Department said, “If you poison the crop land, all the insects will die, you should remember that one beneficial insect eats 10 harmful insects. So you have to identify the insects, in the initial stage, you should remove the harmful insects. By killing eggs, worms, pupae, the level of damage can be kept to the lowest level.” Assistant Agriculture Officer Kazi Sahidul Ferdous said, “Many useful plants are dying due to using chemical herbicides, so you have to be careful in using herbicides to protect the agricultural environment.’ Women farmer Namita Rani Kitturnia of Swaruppur village said, ‘Pumpkin rot disease has been cured by using Bordo mixer. I want to have training on preparation of vermin compost and produce vermin compost fertilizer.’
Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Ahsan Habib, Tapas Adhikari, Bhavesh Adhikari, Vasudek Bepari, Haripad Sannyasi, Md. Salim, Mitu and others spoke during the inauguration of the farmer learning center.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin