Joypurhat Correspondent

A farmers' field day on commercial vermicompost production and marketing was held at Sonar Bangla Agro in Harisara village of Akkelpur Upazila in Joypurhat.

Under the initiative of the Value Chain Sub-Project titled 'Vegetable and Crop Production and Marketing' under the RMTP project implemented by the JAKS Foundation, the field day was held on Tuesday at 4 pm with JAKS Foundation Deputy Director (Program) Obaidul Islam in the chair. Speaking as the chief guest, Akkelpur Upazila Additional Agriculture Officer Kamanshi Sarkar said that vermicompost controls the pH level of the soil and removes soil toxicity. Its use increases the production and quality of crops and reduces production costs. The color, taste and smell of the produced crops are attractive. Vermicompost or vermicompost increases the water holding capacity of the soil and increases air circulation.

Also speaking at the event were Md. Mehedul Hasan, Value Chain Facilitator of the project, Md. Rafiqul Islam, Co-Regional Manager of JAKS Foundation, Md. Mamunur Rashid, Akkelpur Branch Manager, Md. Rafiqul Islam, Raykali Branch Manager, Md. Rafiqul Islam, Marketing Manager Kazi Zakir Hossain and Zahid Hossain.

In addition, the Marketing Manager of the project, Assistant Value Chain Facilitators, officials at various levels, material suppliers and vegetable farmers of the area were present.

This sub-project is being implemented by JAKS Foundation with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Danida and with technical assistance from Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).

Agricultural entrepreneur Golam Moktadir said that he started commercial production of vermicompost with the support of the project. This allows farmers in the area to produce crops using good quality organic fertilizer in their fields, and we have also taken up plans to expand this vermicompost farm in the future so that it is easily available to farmers in the area.