Md. Moniruzzaman, Mymensingh: Farmers of Chakonju village in Sadar upazila are seeing a ray of hope through a 61-variety rice research project initiated by the Mymensingh Satellite Station of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. They also said that with the success of the research project, Chakonju village in Bhabkhali Union of Sadar upazila has already become known as an important research area for technology.
Abu Wahab Akand Wahid, Member of Parliament for Mymensingh-4 Sadar constituency, inaugurated the crop harvesting and field day under this project on Sunday (May 3) afternoon.
At this time, MP Abu Wahab Akand Wahid spoke to the farmers concerned after inaugurating the crop harvesting under the Location-Based Rice Variety and Technology Innovation and Existing Research Development (LSTD) project. Various innovative and timely activities conducted under the LSTD project have generated great interest among local farmers and have received a positive response.
The concerned said that the research project is implementing a special “Rice Garden” with 61 rice varieties established in the same field, practical research and evaluation activities, mechanized rice planting, and research focused on location-based problems. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute has started the work of developing the village as a technology village since 2023. Under the project, 137 farmers of the village have cultivated different varieties of rice in the current Boro season on 45 acres of land.
After the inauguration of the harvest and field day, MP Abu Wahab Akand Wahid also joined a brief discussion meeting on the occasion of the field day at the local Mirza Park.
Addressing the farmers at the meeting, MP Abu Wahab Akand Wahid said, “The current government is farmer-friendly. I have asked the Prime Minister to provide agricultural cards specifically for the farmers of Mymensingh. I hope that the agricultural cards will be given to the farmers soon.”
Afsana Ansari, Senior Scientific Officer of the Rice Research Institute and Deputy Project Director of the project, said, “Due to the distance of the Rice Research Institute, which works on rice variety development, farmers in Mymensingh receive new varieties late or do not receive them at all. Through this project, we are building a satellite station in Mymensingh, one has already been set up on a temporary basis. Through this project, work is underway to make a village completely dependent on technology. We are developing Chakanju village as a technology village. We are providing financial assistance, seeds and pesticides to every farmer in this village. Since there is a shortage of labor, most of the land in this village has been cultivated using machinery.”
At that time, the Upazila Agriculture Officer, other officials of the Rice Research Project, and farmers associated with the project were present.
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