The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) with Intercooperation (IC) of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is trying to improve livelihoods of rice farmers through training and participatory variety selection programmes in haor areas of Sunamganj district.

A three-day-long training course ended at the BRRI in Gazipur recently to reach this goal. Twenty-five local service providers took part in it, a BRRI press release said on Thursday.

BRRI Director General Dr Nur-E-Elahi said, "It is a part of the recent activities of the institute to disseminate modern rice technologies in the remote areas." Prior to this, BRRI has been conducting advocacy and participatory variety selection programmes in the areas for the last three years. BRRI Director Research Dr M A Salam said, "We are trying to change the existing cultivation scenario to improve livelihoods of the rice farmers.", says a press release.

Although BRRI technologies have been extended throughout the country, six upazilas---Taherpur, Jamalganj, Bishamberpur, Shalla, Dirai, and Darmapasha---of Sunamganj district have been remained comparatively less focused mainly because of unfavourable conditions, the release said. Boro rice is being cultivated in these areas and most of the cultivable areas remain fallow during Aus and Aman---the other two rice seasons of the country.

Most of the time in a year farmers of the areas remain partially unemployed.

Farmers of the localities, where agricultural extension service is limited, cultivate rice, following age-old traditional method. Flash flood in mid-April caused huge losses to the only boro crop of the year, as the farmers use long duration rice varieties instead of short duration ones. Little or no care is being taken in terms of tillage, weeding, fertilization and irrigation. As a result per unit productivity of rice in the areas is also very low and it is one of the obstacles to livelihood improvement, the release added.