BRRI-108 ‘Komol’ Rice Pilot Expands Seed Production for Farmers
The new variety of BRRI-108, named “Komol,” produces 30 maunds of rice per bigha when cultivated. The crop yields harvest approximately 120 days after transplanting. The grain is small and slender, similar to jeera shaal rice. The Ziaur Rahman Foundation has taken an initiative to produce this seed and supply it to farmers at a low cost. The organization has already launched a pilot project for seed production in Gazipur and Narsingdi districts.
In Gazipur’s Chupair mouza, from 5 January to 12 January, 10 farmers cultivated certified seeds of the BRRI-108 “Komol” variety—produced by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute—on 30 bighas of land. The Ziaur Rahman Foundation held an exchange meeting with these seed farmers.
Under the guidance of the Foundation’s Vice President Dr. Zubaida Rahman, a discussion meeting on Komol seed production and preservation was held on 11 April, Saturday afternoon at the field adjacent to the house of farmer Ayet Ali in Chupair area of Jamalpur Union, Kaliganj upazila of Gazipur, with contracted farmers.
Led by Program Director Khandaker Mahfuzul Bachchu, speakers at the courtyard meeting with farmers included Executive Director Professor Farhad Halim Donar, Director Khandaker Mahbub Alam, Engineer Mahbub Alam, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Professor Dr. Ashraful Haque, Agriculturist Dr. Md. Akikul Islam Akik, Mohammad Ali, Dr. Zakir Hossain, Dr. Shafiqul Ahad Sardar Swapon, and Foundation member Engineer Enamul Haque.
On the other hand, farmers Kamal Hossain Sheikh and Ibrahim Khan shared their experiences regarding rice cultivation and production. Earlier, officials of the organization visited the fields along with contracted farmers and landowners and spoke with them. They expressed satisfaction seeing the rice panicles spread across the field. It was noted that seedlings emerge 31 days after sowing. In total, it takes 151 days to harvest the rice. Accordingly, farmers Kamal Hossain and others will be able to harvest the crop within the next 12–15 days.
It was also learned that the officials of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation have taken this seed production program to ensure that farmers can purchase and cultivate the high-yielding, affordable “Komol” certified seed within a short time. They said that although seed production is currently being carried out in two regions, it will be gradually expanded in the future.
DBTech/MSR/EK/OR
