Solar irrigation in Nabinagar changes New prospects for Aush cultivation
A new prospect for Aush rice cultivation has been created in the long-uncultivated land of Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria.
With the modern solar irrigation system, planned initiatives of the Agriculture Department and the spontaneous participation of farmers, Aush rice has been cultivated for the first time in about 150 bighas of land in various areas of Dolabari, Satmora, Ratanpur and Salimganj unions of the municipality this season. In the area along the banks of the Titas River, irrigation water is being supplied to agricultural land uninterruptedly through high-quality underground buried pipelines using renewable solar energy through the solar irrigation system installed with the funding of the FRI (Rijouach) project.
In addition, farmers have been provided free of charge with high-quality seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs under various projects and incentive programs of the Agriculture Department. As a result, the land that was once uncultivated is now full of greenery. A visit to Dolabari village shows golden ears of ripe Aush paddy swaying across the field.
For the first time, Aush paddy of Bridhan-98 and Bridhan-48 varieties has been cultivated there on about 75 bighas of land. Abdul Mannan, a farmer from Dolabari village of the municipality, said, "Thanks to the government's solar irrigation scheme, I am now getting irrigation facilities at a low cost. With the cooperation of the Agriculture Department, I have cultivated Aush on such a large scale for the first time.
The crop condition is very good, I hope there will be a bumper harvest." Safurullah, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Satmora Union, said that last season, farmer Mannan Mia's exhibition of Binadhan-19 in his field was successful, so he saved the seeds. This season, farmers have been provided with free seeds, fertilizers and other materials under the exhibition and incentive program of the Bangladesh Agricultural Atomic Research Institute. As a result, the cultivation of Aush paddy has been expanded to about 25 bighas of land in Chuoria village. Mannan Mia, a farmer from Chuoria village, said, "Due to last year's good yield, I used the saved seeds.
A few more farmers collected seeds from me and cultivated Aush. The yield is also very good this time as there is sufficient rainfall." Aktaruzzaman, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of the Municipality Block, said, "A new Aush cultivation plan was taken in Dolabari Block under the overall guidance of the Upazila Agriculture Officer. Farmers have been provided regular field-level advice, training and necessary materials. Due to modern solar irrigation technology, it will be possible to bring more uncultivated land under Aush cultivation in the future."
Nabinagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Krishibid Md. Jahangir Alam Liton said, “For the first time, 75 bighas of land in Dolabari have been brought under Aush cultivation under the solar irrigation scheme using renewable energy. Water wastage has been reduced due to the supply of irrigation water through high-quality buried pipelines and the irrigation cost of farmers has also been significantly reduced.” He further said, “In the current season, Aush cultivation has been newly done on about 150 bighas of uncultivated land in Nabinagar Upazila.
Our goal is to increase food production by bringing flood-free uncultivated lands under short-term Aush paddy at the end of the Boro season, increase farmers' income and build a sustainable agricultural system.” This initiative of Nabinagar has proven that if proper planning, use of modern technology, application of renewable energy and tireless work of farmers come together, even uncultivated land can be filled with golden crops. The ears of Aush paddy swaying across the field today are not only a symbol of a successful season, but also a shining example of achieving sustainable agriculture and food security.
