Sustainable promotion of raised-bed technology in the farming field has become an urgent need for boosting crop production to feed the gradually increasing population.
Sharing his expertise Dr Israil Hossain, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Wheat Research Centre (RWRC), said the raised beds facilitate sowing without waste of time allowing crop growth to better match water availability.
Not only has the farming production, the raised-bed technology had a vital role towards improving agro-business in the rural area.
In addition to wheat, the farmers were seen adopting the method in some other seasonal crops like mugbean, maize, potato and lentil for the last couple of years.
Under the conventional system, he said, the single largest constraint requires planting of wheat in the region late in winter, leading to a poor yield. Sowing bed could be a good alternative to the country’s dominant wet culture, he said.
Bed planting improves water distribution and irrigation efficiency, gives better results in using fertilizers and pesticides and reduces weed infestation and crop lodging. It saves crops from disturbance from rats, Hossain opined.
The pattern helps farmers save 30 per cent irrigation water and 30 to 40 per cent of seeds and fertilisers. To maintain sound soil health, he said, it could be advisable to grow rice using a different system in order to improve compatibility between monsoon rice and upland winter crops.
Dr Hossain advocated for development and dissemination of appropriate farm machinery like power tiller operated seeder, strip till and zero till, bed planter, reaper and thresher to enhance the farm production especially wheat.
Senior Scientific Officer Dr Ilias Hossain said the agriculture system of the region including its drought-prone barind tract has started facing problems especially water-stress condition due to multifarious reasons including the adverse impact of climate change.
So, there is no way but to adopt modern technologies to protect the farming practice from further endangered condition after addressing the constraints to ensure food security of the nation in the days ahead. –BSS, Rajshahi
