Md. Shah Jamal, Jamalpur

There is a growing interest among farmers in Melandaha Upazila in Jamalpur to cultivate non-toxic vegetables.

Farmers have started cultivating different varieties of vegetables on 100 acres of land with the help of local agriculture office.

The Department of Agriculture has launched this experimental project among more than half a hundred farmers of Shyampur Union of Melandaha under the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system under the 20 Unions of the country. A total of 500 farmers in 20 groups with 25 people in each group are enjoying the benefits of this project. Out of 500 farmers, about 200 are women, the rest are all men.

This method of vegetable cultivation is gaining popularity with the introduction of pesticide-free farming. According to the Department of Agriculture, it is the most eco-friendly state-of-the-art scientific method. 5 days training has been given to every farmer.

The agriculture department has provided ancillary support including free seeds, insecticides pheromin, traps, vermicompost, tricho compost-organic fertilizers, net houses, manching sheets, technology among the farmers. Local landless people are working as laborers for this project. Finally, group-based vans for vegetable marketing and 25 carats (cage type) each have been provided.

Eggplant, sweet pumpkin, rice pumpkin, dhundal, jhinga, chichinga, karalla are being cultivated in this scientific method. Apart from this, the farmers are cultivating for their own needs-besides watermelon, colored watermelon, 4 varieties of squash, 3 varieties of capsicum, red cabbage, new varieties of cauliflower, red vegetables, jute vegetables, papaya trees, tomatoes etc.
Farmer Shafiqul Islam (56) does not cultivate his own land. He leases the farmer's land and cultivates vegetables throughout the year.

After year-end expenses, about half of the profits survive. He returned to solvency. Chhan had a house. Now sleep in the paved house! He said - I have been cultivating vegetables since 2003. I have many benefits apart from being a spendthrift. This time also I am cultivating vegetables on 4 and a half bigha land.I got free seed-fertilizer on the advice of agriculture office. Costs are also reduced. This year's crop does not have to use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. I do not see the possibility of reduction in yield. Didarul Alam (45), a farmer of Shyampur village, said that he earns Tk 70/80,000 after expenses for growing vegetables throughout the year.

Every year I buy cows with this money. There is a lot of grass in the vegetable fields. This grass also meets the fodder requirements of cows. Farmer Israfil (40) said-I have received support with seeds from the agriculture office. Every year the cost per bigha was close to lakhs of rupees. 30/40 thousand rupees have been spent this time.

Fertilizers and pesticides did not have to be given. I am hoping for more profit this time. Another farmer Shahidul Islam (50) said-I have been cultivating vegetables for 13 years. Like other years, the cost is less this year. No need to give fertilizers and pesticides. The Agriculture Office provided a kind of trap and amulet-like water pot.

All the insects get trapped in this trap and die. Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Faisal said that the Department of Agriculture has discovered traps of different colors based on the genetic behavior of insects. Notable among these are - Insecticidal pheromones, traps, net houses, munching sheets. Insect attractant yellow, red, black traps contain a type of glue. Insects die by sitting on that glue.

More interestingly, a container containing a chemical (talisman in farmer's parlance) of pheromin is placed in a container to repel vegetable borers. Pheromones emit female insect odors. For breeding, male insects are attracted and die upon entering the pheromone container.

Apart from this, the crop is not weeded if it is cultivated by manching method. There is no shortage of water in the fields. Manching is the process of covering the rest of the land with polythene leaving the area of the sown seeds open.

If the probability of insect attack is high, the field should be covered with net. The Agriculture Department has taken this initiative to get poison-free vegetables or crops.