By Shimul Kumar Biswas
Rasheda Begum, a 60-year-old woman from Garadia village in Singair Upazila, took on the full responsibility of her household after the death of her husband, Piyar Ali. After losing her only daughter during childbirth seven years ago, she also took on the care of her two grandchildren. Rasheda now manages a household of six, including her son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. In order to sustain her family, she cultivates 17 decimals of homestead land and 105 decimals of agricultural land.
Having chosen agriculture as her occupation to ensure her family’s well-being, Rasheda Begum utilized her past experience in assisting her husband with farming. She has established a diverse agricultural farm, growing crops such as rice, jute, mustard, sweet potatoes, coriander, black cumin, fenugreek, onions, and garlic. In her homestead, she regularly cultivates leafy greens, okra, spinach, amaranth, chili, eggplant, and potatoes. Additionally, she grows a variety of crops including ginger, turmeric, chili, eggplant, pumpkin, ridge gourd, leafy greens, long beans, hyacinth beans, bottle gourd, and sweet pumpkin in her yard, on her roof, and in shaded areas around her home.
Rasheda Begum is a self-reliant farmer. She is raising cows, goats, ducks, chickens, and pigeons. She grows a wide range of crops, including rice, jute, pulses, mustard, and vegetables. She strives to establish herself as a self-sufficient farmer, moving away from market dependency. Currently, she maintains her own seed bank with 18 types of seeds. She practices natural resource-based agriculture to produce safe food and has set up a vermicomposting and composting farm at her home to maintain soil health.
Rasheda Begum mentions, “Since I do all the agricultural work myself, I can provide all kinds of safe food for my family. Given the current prices of various vegetables and crops in the market, many people cannot buy their preferred food, leading to nutritional deficiencies in families.”
In 2014, Rasheda Begum joined the Garadia Farmer’s Organization, organized with the facilitation supports of BARCIK. Since joining the organization, she has been serving as the treasurer of the organization. Through various training sessions organized by BARCIK, she has gained knowledge and skills in natural resource-based agriculture and agroecology, which sets her farming practices apart from conventional methods. She does not use any market-bought inputs but relies on her collected seeds, organic fertilizers, and natural pest control methods to produce safe and chemical-free food on her land.
Rasheda Begum does not only grow crops but also conserves seeds for each crop, creating a diverse seed bank. She plays a significant role in meeting the seed needs of the local community, especially during times of scarcity, by distributing seeds from her bank to over two hundred people with free of charge.
Rasheda Begum said, “We have all the resources around us for farming. It is just a matter of managing them. If we use all the natural resources for farming, we can reduce production costs and get safe, chemical-free food, which will play a major role in increasing our family income and meeting nutritional needs.”
