Bangladesh is going to enter the era of modern and scientific methods in agriculture. In order to increase the production of rice, the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute-BRRI has planned artificial rain besides ensuring regular irrigation by digging canals and bringing fallow land under rice cultivation.
On Wednesday, April 24, the Director General of BRRI Dr. Md. Shah Jahan Kabir disclosed such a plan during the inspection of rice research in 50 bigha land of Brahmagati Dashpara of Digholia upazila of Khulna.
He said, ‘There are 7 varieties exhibited here. Out of these, 5 varieties are high-yielding and 2 are hybrids. Not all the varieties should be cultivated. Whoever likes it in the future, he can cultivate it. For this it will be possible to supply the necessary seeds. There are water and salinity problems. But there is an opportunity to use the fresh water of the river. In Dumuria, 1 maund of paddy was obtained in 101 varieties of cultivation. I have not imported rice in the last 3-4 years. We are producing the necessary rice ourselves. Therefore, research and planning work is progressing to increase the production.
Mohan Kumar Ghosh, Additional Director, Khulna Region, Department of Agricultural Extension, said that efforts are underway to bring one lakh seven thousand hectares of fallow land under cultivation in Khulna. As part of this, digging of 8 canals in Digholia is almost completed. 6 more canals will be dug. There are 1,127 canals in Khulna region. Out of these, 615 canals need to be dug. Work is progressing towards that goal.
Abdullah Sajjad, chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, said that canal digging is a far-reaching plan. According to the plan, if someone’s land falls under canal area, everyone will benefit if he does not stop it.
The initiative of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Irrigation and Water Management Department has demonstrated cultivation of 7 varieties of rice on 50 bigha land in Digholia, Khulna. The varieties are high yielding BRI 89, BRI 92, BRI 100, BRI 104 and BRI 105; Hybrid 3 and 8. Of these, 105 are considered diabetes rice. Which can be commercialized through increasing cultivation and production.
