Farmers urged to grow Parija paddy for food security

Agriculture experts at a function here on Thursday urged the farmers
to cultivate Parija Paddy, an indigenous variety, on high and medium
high land to get additional crop during the off season to achieve
country’s food security.
“Generally, after the completion of early variety Boro paddy in late
April the land remains fully fallow for about three months at a
stretch till the start of T-Aman paddy cultivation at the end of
July”, they said.
They made the comments while addressing a view exchange meeting
entitled “Importance of Pariza Paddy cultivation in Aus Season in Food
Security” organised by Agriculture and Environment Unit, RDRS
Bangladesh at Barmatat Village under Laxipur Union of Sadar Upazila of
the district.
Additional Director (AD) of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE),
Rangpur region M. Sikandar Ali addressed the function as the chief
guest and deputy director of DAE here Mir Abdur Razzak and district
training officer Zulfiquer Haider were present as the special
guests.As the land remains fallow during the middle period between
Boro and Aman season, the farmers could easily produce short duration
Parija Paddy in natural rain water on the uncultivated land to earn
economical profit and help create working opportunities to the farm
day laborers as well, the experts also said.
AD of DAE M. Sikandar Ali in his speech said the paddy could be
harvested in 90 days after sowing seeds by using Direct Seeded Rice
method or in 75-day after transplanting 20-day old seedlings by August
15 before transplantation of T-Aman seedlings on the same land.
As the northern region experiences average 350 mm rainfall in May, 550
mm in June and 500 mm in July and no crop was produced here in the
months in existing technology, he called upon the farmers here to farm
the Parija Paddy on their land in large scale in coming seasons
utilizing the rain water during the period.
DD of DAE Mir Abdur Razzak emphasised the need for the expansion of
Parija Paddy cultivation in Aus season in place of Boro paddy to check
the environment from the catastrophe possible as the underground water
level was going down alarmingly due to lifting water for irrigation
purpose.
Earlier, assistant agriculture officer of RDRS Bangladesh M. Saiful
Islam in his welcome speech presented the importance of Parija Paddy
cultivation in Aus season elaborately and said there is a bright
prospect of Parija Paddy cultivation in the district and its
neighboring region as its soil and climate is very suitable for
farming the variety.
Farmer Rezaul Karim said through the cultivation of Pariza Paddy this
year for the first time the two-crop (Boro and Aman) land here are
being turned into three-crop one which is blissful
for the growers and will contribute to change their socio- economic
condition gradually and meet up the growing demand of food
undoubtedly.
Another farmer Saidur Rahman said the growers of a block at South
Dhanghara area under Ballamjhar union of the upazila are going to get
four crops from a land in a year by farming Aman paddy, mustard,
mungbean and parija Paddy systematically as per the suggestions of
agri experts of RDRS Bangladesh and DAE avoiding highly cost Boro
paddy cultivation.
This year, a total of 4,000 bighas of land of Sadar, Sundarganj and
Palashbari upazilas of the district were brought under Parija paddy
cultivation and necessary measures were taken
to distribute fertilizers, insecticides and other agri inputs among
the growers to help them boost production of the paddy, said Mamunur
Rashid, coordinator of agriculture and Environment unit, RDRS
Bangladesh.A large number of agri officials, farmers and NGO activists
including the journalists of print and electronic media were also
present on the occasion.
(BSS, Gaibandha)

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