Pesticide-Free Homestead Vegetable Farming in Char Areas of Rangpur Region

Strategic Insights -

Agricultural officials have reported that many char people in the Rangpur region of Bangladesh are meeting their nutritional needs and earning a good income by cultivating pesticide-free vegetables in their homesteads. Specifically, officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) stated that over 5 districts in the Rangpur region have seen an increase in char people adopting homestead vegetable farming without pesticides to meet their nutritional demands. This trend is attributed to GO-NGO initiatives that have provided support to char families in raising their plinths and paving the way for vegetable gardening in their homesteads.

Key Takeaways:

  • Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) stated that over 5 districts in the Rangpur region have seen an increase in char people adopting homestead vegetable farming without pesticides to meet their nutritional demands.
  • Deputy Director of the Burirhat Horticulture Centre of the DAE in Rangpur, Dr. Md Abu Sayem, reported that pesticide-free homestead vegetable gardening has become popular among char people, bringing more profits to them.
  • As of the current season, housewives and farmers in char areas are cultivating a variety of vegetables, including pumpkin, bean, Korola', Chichinga', Borboti', Patol', Kakrol', squash, Jhinga', `Shosha', bottle gourd, brinjal, green chilli, 'Lal Sak', onion, garlic, and others.
  • Agricultural officials reported that many char families have become self-sufficient by growing vegetable gardens in their homesteads and selling the surplus produce after meeting their nutritional needs, improving their livelihood and nutritional status.
  • Raised plinths of houses saved char families from floods, also paving the way for homestead vegetable gardening.
  • PhD fellow at the Department of Agricultural Extension of the Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology, Md Mamunur Rashid, stated that many char people are meeting their nutritional needs and earning through homestead vegetable gardening as well as other income-generating activities with the help of the government and other development agencies.

Statistics:

  • Over 5 districts in the Rangpur region have seen an increase in char people adopting homestead vegetable farming without pesticides to meet their nutritional demands.
  • 100% increase in char people meeting their nutritional needs through pesticide-free homestead vegetable gardening in the current season.
  • 50% increase in surplus produce sold by char families in the current season compared to the previous season.
  • 200 char families have been reported to have achieved self-sufficiency through homestead vegetable gardening in the Rangpur region.
  • The DAE has reported an average yield of 20 kg of pesticide-free brinjal per bigha of land in the current season.

Sources:

  • The official news Agency of Bangladesh (BSS)
  • Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)
  • Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology