In an inspiring and innovative response to a local farming crisis, a group of schoolchildren in Fulbari upazila have started working as "child farmers," replacing scarce adult labor to plant corn and getting a picnic party as their primary reward.
The initiative has come as a blessing for local corn farmers, who were struggling with a severe shortage of laborers during the peak planting season for an early variety of corn. Adult workers were often reluctant to take on the work as it is typically done for short periods in the early morning and late afternoon.
A team of 10 to 15 young students, however, saw an opportunity in this challenge. During school holidays or before and after their classes, the children band together and head to the fields to plant corn seedlings.
The main attraction for these young farmers is not cash but a lively "picnic," often joined by their parents, which also helps strengthen community bonds. While they do receive a small payment of 50 to 100 Taka—enough for their school tiffin—the promise of the communal picnic is their biggest motivation. "Our main attraction is that picnic," said one of the young farmers, adding that the experience has taught them that no job is too small and has given them practical knowledge.
Their operation is remarkably organized. The group has a leader, or "sardar," who secures the farmland for work. They use a jute string marked at 15-inch intervals to ensure the seeds are planted at the correct distance. Working in unison, lined up side-by-side in fields in areas like South Basudebpur and Dadpur, the children display impressive speed, managing to plant an entire bigha of land with corn in just one hour.
Farmers like Suman have welcomed the initiative, noting it solves the labor problem while giving the children valuable hands-on experience with agriculture.
Parents and local officials have praised the novel approach. At a time when children are often glued to mobile phones and the internet, parents see this as a positive way for them to spend their free time, building practical skills and social bonds. Saif Abdullah, the Upazila Agriculture Officer, acknowledged that labor shortages can occur as mechanization is not yet widely available for corn planting. He described the children's initiative as truly inspirational. The Fulbari upazila has a cultivation target of 4,010 hectares of land for corn this season.
