BSS, Rangpur
Adoption of eco-friendly pests' management methods are expanding every year while farming Aman rice largely benefiting farmers in Rangpur agriculture region, reports BSS
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers are mostly applying live and dead perching and light trap methods to produce more hygienic Aman rice, reducing use of insecticides at reduced costs. “Farmers are reaping enormous benefits by adopting primitive perching and light trap methods in preventing pests' attacks on growing Aman rice crop plants,” Agriculturist Bidhu Bhusan Ray, Additional Director of the DAE, Rangpur region, said.
Adopting perching methods, farmers have already set up bamboo poles on 4.12 lakh hectares of growing Aman rice fields out of totally cultivated land area of 6.11 lakh hectares till Monday in all five districts of the region.
“Farmers have already brought 1.61 lakh hectares of land under the live and 2.51 lakh hectares of land under dead perching methods while cultivating Aman rice as the process continues in the region,” Ray said.
Meanwhile, farmers have also set up light traps on 280 hectares of Aman rice fields, including permanent light traps on 50 hectares and temporary light traps on 230 hectares of their croplands so far in the region.
Farmers are expanding adoption of these low-cost, effective and eco-friendly methods in saving Aman rice plants from pests' attack at different stages to get more hygienic rice output following motivational and training activities being conducted by the DAE.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said random uses of pesticides are threatening the ecosystems causing extinction of many indigenous species of fishes, beneficial insects and common birds.
As a result of indiscriminate use of pesticides and insecticide while farming various crops, many species of fishes, beneficial insects and common birds are already on the verge of extinction.
“Farmers generally erect bamboo poles on Aman rice fields at a particular distance so that birds could perch on the poles in search of food and eat pests which are harmful for rice plants to protect the crop reducing use of pesticides,” Rashid said.
Talking to BSS, farmers Moslem Uddin, Manik Miah and Mofizar Rahman of different villages in Rangpur said they have understood the importance of perching and light trap methods which minimise cost of insecticides and save the environment.
Farmers Ariful Haque Batul of village Najirdigar In Rangpur Sadar said birds perch on the poles and eat harmful pests.
“Currently, farmers know how to protect their growing Aman rice plants from pests' attack and save money using effective natural methods of perching and light traps,” Batul said, adding that application of these methods have really been productive and profitable.
Farmers Mostafizur Rahman, Solaiman Ali and Rahim Uddin Mondal of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur said many birds perch on the poles on their growing Aman rice fields to eat insects protecting the tender rice plants to ensure healthier growth.
Farmers Abdus Salam of Rajarhat upazila in Kurigram and Didarul Alam of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari said they have been using perching and light trap methods on Aman rice fields and getting huge benefits for the last five years.
