‘Adopt alternative cropping pattern for four crops a year’

RANGPUR: Agriculture experts at a workshop yesterday called for more fine-tuning and popularising alternative cropping pattern to enable the farmers in getting four crops a year on the same land in ensuring food security, reports BSS.
RDRS Bangladesh, a non-government organisation, in collaboration with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) organised the workshop on ‘Up-scaling Four Crops in Sequence in Northern Bangladesh’ at Begum Rokeya auditorium in the city.
The NGO evolved and introduced the alternative cropping pattern under ‘Validation and Scaling up of T-aman-potato/mustard-mungbean-T-aus cropping system in northern districts of Bangladesh’ being implemented in collaboration with BSMRAU with Krishi Gabeshana Foundation (KGF) funding in three districts of Rangpur division since 2014.
Sixty officials, experts, scientists and representatives of different agriculture related government and non-government departments and research organisations and farmers from allover Rangpur division attended the programme.
Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Shah Alam presided over the workshop. Senior Monitoring Officer of  Krishi Gabeshana Foundation  Abdul Baten attended the workshop as chief guest while Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Monjushree Saha delivered welcome speech.
Dinajpur Regional Director of DAE Zulfiquer Haider and Monitoring Officer of KGF and former director of DAE Shachindra Chandra Debnath addressed as the special guests.
Farmer Shamsul Haque Sarker of Gaibandha narrated how he successfully cultivated four crops in sequence on his three acres of land annually adopting the cropping pattern to earn huge profits.
Dr Moynul said, “The alternative cropping pattern enhances crop intensity and improves soil health, environment and livelihood of the poor saving huge underground water,”
“The alternative cropping pattern saves 12.691 million litres of water, 4,315.83 KJ electric energy and Tk 10,127 as farming costs per hectare by introducing mungbean and aus rice instead of Boro as per traditional cropping practice,” he said.
Mamunur Rashid said, “The new cropping pattern reduces huge irrigation water against the general practice of farmers in farming Boro rice by reducing number of irrigations to conserve underground water,” he added.
The chief guest called for more fine tuning and popularising the alternative cropping pattern to enhance crop 
intensity in Rangpur division for ensuring food security amid changing climate.
Professor of the Department of Agronomy of BSMRAU and Principal Investigator of the project’ Dr Moynul Haque read out the keynote paper.

 

Adopt alternative cropping pattern for four crops a year

RANGPUR: Agriculture experts at a workshop yesterday called for more fine-tuning and popularising alternative cropping pattern to enable the farmers in getting four crops a year on thesame land in ensuring food security, reports BSS. RDRS Bangladesh, a non-government organisation, in collaboration with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) organised the workshop on Up-scaling Four Crops in Sequence in Northern Bangladesh at Begum Rokeya auditorium in the city. The NGO evolved and introduced the alternative cropping pattern under Validation and Scaling up of T-aman-potato/mustard-mungbean-T-aus cropping system in northern districts of Bangladesh being implemented in collaboration with BSMRAU with Krishi Gabeshana Foundation (KGF) funding in three districts of Rangpur division since 2014. Sixty officials, experts, scientists and representatives of different agriculture related government and non-government departments and research organisations and farmers from allover Rangpur division attended the programme. Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Shah Alam presided over the workshop. Senior Monitoring Officer of Krishi Gabeshana Foundation Abdul Baten attended the workshop as chief guest while Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Monjushree Saha delivered welcome speech. Dinajpur Regional Director of DAE Zulfiquer Haider and Monitoring Officer of KGF and former director of DAE Shachindra Chandra Debnath addressed as the special guests. Farmer Shamsul Haque Sarkerof Gaibandha narrated how he successfully cultivated four crops in sequence on his three acres of land annually adopting the cropping pattern to earn huge profits. Dr Moynul said, The alternative cropping pattern enhances crop intensity and improves soil health, environment and livelihood of the poor saving huge underground water, The alternative cropping pattern saves 12.691 million litres of water, 4,315.83 KJ electric energy and Tk 10,127 as farming costs per hectare by introducing mungbean and aus rice instead of Boro as per traditional cropping practice, he said. Mamunur Rashid said, The new cropping pattern reduces huge irrigation water against the general practice of farmers in farming Boro rice by reducing number of irrigations to conserve underground water, he added. The chief guest called for more fine tuning and popularising the alternative cropping pattern to enhance crop intensity in Rangpur division for ensuring food security amid changing climate. Professor of the Department of Agronomy of BSMRAU and Principal Investigator of the project Dr Moynul Haque read out the keynote paper.