Our agriculture had been traditionally and heavily dependent on
rainfall; our farmers, on old fashioned agricultural tools that are driven
manually and on naturally grown seeds and seedlings. Not very long ago modern
technology was introduced and many appliances for cultivation were mechanized
or power driven. Improved seeds or high variety of crops were launched side by
side with the old ones; considerably extensive land is now manured with
chemical fertilizers and crops are protected from pests or insects attack by
specially made pesticides or insecticides. Irrigation facilities have been
installed as the corner stone of our agricultural production for steady and
timely supply of needed water. The result of the factors is an attainment of
near sufficiency in rice output apart from considerable increase in other agricultural
products.
There has been our almost total dependency on monsoon. It is
proverbially uncertain and uneven in distribution of rains. It blesses some
parts of the country with 80% of rainfall particularly in the rainy season,
condemns most parts to inadequacy of rain and some parts especially in northern
Bangladesh
To solve these predicaments irrigation has been made pivotal in
agriculture. Two ways were formed on the basis of ground water and surface
water for irrigation: Groung water for tube well irrigation is made available
especially in north western region. To have quick impact of investment of
irrigation small scale and fast pay off programmers installation of hand
tube-well (HTW), deep tube-well (DTW), Shallow tube-well (STW), and low level
pump (PLP) were undertaken. Bangladesh Agricutuure Development corporation
(BADC), the only public agency, has increased more than double of them over the
years. Private participation both individual and in group has also considerable
grown. Bangladesh
Irrigation is concentrated in winter as then there is virtually
no limit to land for cultivation. This season is free from floods, cyclones,
storms and has enough sunshine for cultivation of boro rice including irri and
wheat in particular. There is no need for protection from flooding or for
drainage. The environment is controlled by irrigation and this is more suited
for better utilization of applied nutrients. For that matter irrigation is not
neglected for aman, the deep water product limited by topographical conditions.
For it covers 16.2% of rice land. T-Aman is produced through irrigation by
transplantation of seedlings. And aus rice variety called irri is also grown in
plenty. Furthermore, irrigation has made possible the growing of Radi crops
such as millets, patato, oil seeds, pulses, tobacco, flax, cotton, barley, etc.
require temperate climate. It has, additionally, enabled inter-cropping of
oilseeds; pulses, spices with sugarcane and cotton. It has facilitated
efficient use of land and intensity of cropping. All this, no doubt, has
boosted earnings of farmers.
Irrigation has been encountering a few problems and
predicaments. The drying up of underground water in March 2003 in 12 upazillas
of Mymenshingh due to lifting of water by deep wells, low lift power pumps and
traditional pumps, threatened irrigation of boro irri paddy, caused acute
scarcity of drinking water and made crack in the fields. Dried up also are most
of the rivers, canals and marshes. Water supply in irrigation projects are
neither satisfactory nor adequate. In Meghana Dhanagoda project area there was
acute shortage of water as canals were not yet excavated or re-excavated in
time. To avoid loss, farmers are watering their lands through pumps at a much
greater cost. Farmers of Narayanganj – Narshindhi Agrani project area were
unable to sow in March 2003, at about 41/2 thousand acres of cultivable land
because some canals of block I had dried up and there was water logging in the
project areas. These encounters are expected to exist in the project sites in
many parts of the country. Another serious trouble is the erratic power supply
all over the country. It has become a regular feature in many districts of
siuth western zone. Load shedding and frequent power failure both of which
continue for several hours aggravated much more the hampering of irrigation.
For power supply has been far from satisfactory there for a long time. Apart
from irrigation, husking of paddy and wheat crushing are impeded low voltage
and irregular supply damaged, at least twelve motors in a few upazillas of
Joypurhat in 2003 and adulterated diesel mabe a number of motors inoperative at
Bhairab. And the malpractice’s of especially CBA employees of PDB made things
worse.
The present crises (2003) in Rajbari of seedlings, irrigation
and price hyke of diesel exemplified various predicaments of marginal and small
farmers around the country. The recent price hyke of diesel, in particular, has
increased the cost of transplanting of seedlings. The cost of ploughing an acre
of land by power tiller which was 600/- to 700/- last year is increased to Tk.
1000 to 1100 now. Previously irrigation machine owners had to be paid 25% of
crops, at present they are taking one third of them on the plea of increase of
prices of diesel. Moreover, the cultivators have to buy per drum of diesel at
Tk. 4500/-, though govt. fixed its price at Tk. 3800 so making things worse. In
such circumstances the cost of production per acre including wages of labour
for transplantation, weeding, reaping, prices of fertilizers and insecticides
was estimated to be Tk. 10000 to 11000. In some other upazillas, namely, Austa
Gram farmers were facing extreme difficulties for rise of diesel price. Now we
can imagine what marginal profit the small farmers can make for the sale of 40
mds of paddy as one third of the produce is to be given to machine owners for
irrigation out of the total 60 mds which is the normal yield in an acre of
land. They could lessen much the cost if they can own agricultural implements,
motors, tube, wells, etc. But owing them will be a dreaming for them.
Our agriculture has been essentially subsistence crops in
character. The hard up farmers as they are compelled to sell their products,
say rice, cannot wait long to get a fair price for it. Considering their plight
and hardship, it is incumbent upon govt. to provide them HYV seeds, fertilizers
and irrigation facilities free or at a nominal price or charge. There is a good
progress in agriculture. All credit is given to non-human elements, neglecting
the farmers, the pivots of the progress. Nothing can be so unjust and in human
for us to leave them to their plight and hardship. It will be sheer
exploitation of the helpless marginal farmers smarting under poverty and
hardship. It will be down right ingratitude and barbarity because we own them
greatly.
Our agriculture has been essentially subsistence crops in
character. The hard up farmers as they are compelled to sell their products,
say rice, cannot wait long to get a fair price for it. Considering their plight
and hardship, it is incumbent upon govt. to provide them HYV seeds, fertilizers
and irrigation facilities free or at a nominal price or charge. There is a good
progress in agriculture. All credit is given to non-human elements, neglecting
the farmers, the pivots of the progress. Nothing can be so unjust and in human
for us to leave them to their plight and hardship. It will be sheer
exploitation of the helpless marginal farmers smarting under poverty and
hardship. It will be down right ingratitude and barbarity because we own them
greatly.
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