The area of cropland has been decreasing day by day due to the increasing population in Tangail. However, the crop production has started to increase due to the efforts and training provided by the agriculture department to farmers to use modern methods in farming.
It was known that the area of cropland has been decreasing day by day as houses, roads, mosques, madrasahs, educational institutions and factories are being built for the increasing population.
District Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said the total area of cropland was 2 lakh 42 thousand and 79 hectares in 2023. It stood at 2 lakh 40 thousand and 659 hectares in a year. The area of cropland has decreased by 1 thousand and 420 hectares in a year. The crops and fruits such as paddy, wheat, maize, jute, sugarcane, peanut, banana, papaya, lemon, etc. are grown on this areas of cropland.
Tangail district statistics office sources said the number of croplands was decreased in the district from 2008 to 2019 according to an agriculture census.
The district statistics office sources also said the total population of the district was 40 lakh 37 thousand and 608 people in 2022. However, the total population of the district was 36 lakh 5 thousand and 83 people in 2011.
Agriculture Department said several farmer-friendly initiatives have been taken to recover the loss of croplands. Besides, the farmers are being trained and motivated to use modern agriculture tools. The more production of crops and farming the same land for more than once are being done as the area of cropland is being decreased. They are trying to modernize the whole agriculture system.
The farmers said new houses are being built in villages due to the increased population. The joint families are being broken. Its effect is coming to croplands. The broken families need to build new houses on the croplands. Moreover, many people are being dependent on job. So they are not doing farming anymore. Besides, the natural calamities also put a negative impact on agriculture. Many croplands are damaged due to the river erosion every year. The croplands are also being used for road, accommodation and construction work.
Farmers of the char areas Keramot Ali, Abdul Malek, Rahman Shekh, Ismail Hossain and others said many farmers are farming peanut and banana in the char areas. Earlier, many vegetables were cultivated in the Char areas. The farmers can earn more by farming peanuts and bananas as the production cost is less. However, the soil diggers are damaging the croplands. Every year, many people cut the cropland and canals to sell the soil. So, the croplands are facing a threat, they added.
Deputy Assistant Officer of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) of the district, Bellal Hossain, said although area of cropland has been decreasing, the production is being increased due to several initiatives of the DAE. The area of croplands is also being decreased as factories are being built every year. However, the farmers of the district are being active in farming adopting the modern techniques. So, the production is increasing although the croplands are decreasing.
Head of Social Welfare Department of Kumudini Government College of Zila Sadar, Dr Azad, said half of the decreased area of cropland is going to unproductive sector. Around 65 percent cropland is losing its fertility due to unplanned farming. Moreover, croplands are being damaged due to soil digging with excavators (Bheku).
He also said soil is being dug with excavator and sold to brick kilns and fish projects in Madhupur, Ghatail and Mirzapur upazilas.
Deputy Director of Tangail Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Kabir Hossain said the number of croplands which are cultivated twice a year is more in the district. The farmers are being motivated to cultivate four times a year in these croplands. Earlier, each piece of land was used for farming just once in a year. However, the area of cropland is decreasing but the production is increasing in the district. Moreover, the area of cropland has not decreased in this district compared to other districts.
The farmers are cultivating more than once on the same land in a year. So, they are getting good yield. The farmers of the char areas are also getting good production.
Deputy Commissioner of Tangail, Sharifa Haque, said all work which damages the fertility of the cropland will be discouraged. Actions will be taken against them who cut and sell soil illegally. Besides, the district administration will support better crop production as Bangladesh is an agricultural country.
