RANGPUR: A pesticide-free vegetable sales corner was launched for marketing vegetables produced locally by the farmers adopting ecological agriculture technologies in Nilphamari town on Sunday, reports BSS.
Mayor of Nilphamari Dewan Kamal Ahmed inaugurated the vegetable sales corner at a ceremony arranged by Udaynkur Seba Sangstha (USS), an NGO, at Madharmour Katchari Bazar in the district town as the chief guest.
USC Canada, an international development organisation, extended assistance in launching the sales corner. With Executive Director of USS Alauddin Ali in the chair, its Project Coordinator Hamidul Islam and Education Coordinator Abdul Kuddus Sarker and Councilor of Nilphamari municipality Kalim Uddin addressed the ceremony as special guests.
A large number of male and female farmers, who have been practicing ecological agriculture with assistance of USS, in different villages under Laksmichap and Polashbari unions under Sadar upazila of Nilphamari, were present.
Alauddin Ali said they are assisting the local farmers in switching over to environment-friendly farm activities to produce pure food staffs free from hazardous chemical pesticides and insecticides.
“We are assisting 3,340 farmers of the two unions in producing foods adopting organic agriculture and eco-friendly practices”, he said.
Project Coordinator Hamidul Islam said the beneficiary farmers were producing pesticide-free quality seed, organic and green manures, vermin-composts and organic pesticides, preserving and using those in producing vegetables and other crops.The chief guest said ecological agriculture with application of bio-fertilisers, manure spreaders, crop residues, green manure, bone meals and compost would definitely reduce negative impacts of conventional agriculture on public health and environment.Appreciating the exceptional initiative of launching the pesticide-free vegetable sales corner, he called upon the common people for purchasing vegetables free from chemical fertilisers and pesticides from the corner to lead healthier life.