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Abu Raihan Rashel, Naogaon
Five educated and unemployed youths of Sapahar Upazila in the district are expecting to earn Tk 30 lakh from an integrated farm of no-traditional crops in the upazila.
From here they have reached the threshold of immense potential to become financially independent.
With the financial support of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and in partnership with a local NGO Dabi Moulik Unnayan Sangstha, these five youths established this project. Under the project titled “Extension of High Value Fruits and Crops Varieties and Technology”, they developed this project by taking a lease of nine bighas of land for 15 years in Kuchkurulia Village of the upazila. In the initial stage, PKSF has allotted Tk 7.50 lakh for the establishment of the project.
Under the project, 900 coffee trees, 80 avocado trees, 120 Taiwanese green mango trees and 125 Saudi palm trees have been planted on that land. Production of coffee, avocado and Taiwanese mango has already started. Entrepreneurs expect that the production of Saudi dates will start within a few days.
Md Hasan Ali, an entrepreneur youth, said that if the production of this garden starts fully, they will be able to earn at least Tk 30 lakh every year excluding all costs.
In this Barind-dominated area, paddy was produced as the main crop for a long time. At present, mango production has started as the main cash crop after paddy. In addition to this, there is a huge potential for the production of these high value crops. This initiative has been taken by organizing the educated unemployed youth of the area by exploiting this potential.
Ashrafunnesa Seema, executive director of Dabi Moulik Unnayan Sangstha, said that the project was undertaken as a pilot project funded by PKSF in partnership with five youths of the area.
The entrepreneurs said that if this project is successful in the form of piloting, it will be possible to take up such a project on a large scale involving a large number of unemployed youths under the same programme in the district.