Farmers using AWD technology

Farmers of Nakla upazila in Sherpur have been using 'Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)' technology in paddy field to reduce the cost of irrigation.The use of river water and irrigation through the pump has been done in 13 thousand 465 hectares of boro field in the upazila, in some areas under National Agriculture Technology Program Phase (NATP-2) project.


Rural Developm-ent and Co-operative Department, Local Gover-nment, Rural Developm-ent and Co-operatives Ministry jointly organized and Irrigation and Water Management Centers of the Rural Development Academy of Bogra are working to implement it.

Under the expansion and management of water-saving modern technology, the production of crop production, the research project on increasing the production of the crop, through the water saving technology exhibition, the AWD technology is being spread to all the farmers.

However, the farmers and agricultural officials said that about 30% of the irrigation is being saved by the farmers and farmers who are irrigating their Boro cultivation using. Farmers said, in the beginning of the Boro season, agricultural officials came and counseled us to use AWD technology among our CIG members. Later, they all agreed that the equipment of the technology was supplied free from the agriculture office.

Founder Saidul Haque, General Secretary Helal Uddin, Treasurer Belal Mia, farmer Nasima & Mina Begum of Vurddi Khondakar para Agricu-ltural Produce Producer Welfare Association (VKAPPWA) and Many farmers of this upazila, they are said, including are happy to irrigate the use of the AWD technology.

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Ismatun Masumah Jahan Palashi, Abul Kalam Azad & Ashraful Islam were said that during the NATP-2 project, the AWD technology has found remarkable success in solving the problem of water in Boro paddy. Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Krish-ibid Abdul Wadud said there is no need to irrigate the land for no reason or unnecessary. It is necessary to irrigate only when the ground water of Boro field falls below 15 cm.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Krishibid Humayun Kabir said that irrigation should be done in any irrigable land, including Boro rice cultivation, will reduce the cost of irrigation and the use of water will be utilized. It does not have to irrigate the land regularly.

-Md Musharaf Hossain, Nakla, Sherpur