By Shimul Kumar Biswas
Firoza Begum is a successful farmer from Charamgara village in Singair Upazila, Manikganj. Relying on natural farming practices, she meets her family’s nutritional needs while generating over fifty thousand taka annually, which has brought financial stability to her household.
At 51 years old, Firoza has been the constant partner in her husband Zainal Mia’s farming endeavors for 26 years. She manages 30 decimal homestead land and 155 decimal agricultural land, cultivating crops and raising livestock and poultry to support her family consisting of seven members.
Firoza’s homestead is abundant with 120 types of fruit trees, including lychee, mango, jackfruit, olive, wood apple, banana varieties, coconut, papaya, betel nut, lemon, and local fruits like the elephant apple and star fruit. Additionally, she grows 150 mahogany trees and medicinal plants like basil and marigold. Her farming includes a variety of vegetables such as amaranth, spinach, beans, eggplants, ginger, pumpkin leaves, and more, ensuring her family is not dependent on the market for food.
Recently, Firoza came in touch of BARCIK, where she improved her skills in nature-based agriculture participating in different capacity development initiatives including discussions arranged by BARCIK. Boosting her confidence on nature based farming she has focused on organic composting, pest management, and cultivating local crop varieties, which has reduced her reliance on market based agricultural inputs and enhanced her family’s food security. Firoza also conserves a diverse range of seeds, creating a small seed bank that serves her needs and supports her community.
Despite having little formal education, Firoza has made significant strides in farming, including cultivating four bighas of leased land and purchasing an additional bigha this year. She regularly grows vegetables like amaranth, spinach, beans, eggplant, ginger, pumpkin leaves, and others, ensuring her family’s nutrition and food security, especially during crises.
Firoza believes that growing her own vegetables has protected her family from the high market prices that are often unaffordable for poor families like hers. Inspired by her success and supported by BARCIK, other women in Charamgara village are also turning to family farming to meet their nutritional needs.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin
