An unsung friend of farmers
In six Rangpur villages agri officer Porimal is a man in need for growers
Agriculture officer Porimal Chandra Sarker, better known as 'friend of farmers' in the area, visiting a field comprising a vegetable garden and an orchard in Payeraband union of Mithapukur upazila under Rangpur district.Photo: STAR
Porimal is a name that means a lot to the farmers of six villages under Payerabond union in Mithapukur upazila. Among the villagers he is known as the 'friend of farmers'. For the farmers toiling from dawn to dusk in the fields, Porimal Chandra Sarker is a friend in need. Whenever crops are attacked by pests or germination of seeds fails or the soil suddenly loses fertility, farmers know exactly where to go for help. With his position as the sub assistant agriculture officer at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Porimal makes himself available round the clock to the farmers. Abdul Baten, a farmer-cum-college-teacher from Salaipur area said Porimal's biggest success lies in turning the farmers' attention to organic fertiliser from that of chemical fertiliser for growing crops. Porimal trains farmers how to prepare organic fertiliser. This year, he said, he personally oversaw 700 pits to produce organic fertiliser for potato cultivation. "Continuous use of chemical fertilisers decreases land fertility. Therefore, I suggest farmers to prepare organic fertiliser themselves for potato cultivation. Many of the farmers of Zafarpur area are now using organic fertiliser prepared by themselves." Porimal is also in favour of integrated pest management (IPM) as pesticides in vegetables and crops are hazardous to human health and environment. Golam Hossain, a farmer from Ovirampur village under Payerabond union said his aman paddy on two acres of land was saved from attack of neck blight last season thanks to Porimal's quick intervention. Touhidul Islam of Salaipur village said he failed t0 get good yield of potato from his land in 2007 and 2008. Later he met Porimal. "Porimal immediately tested the soil at the Payerabond union council complex and solved the problem by administering certain amount of potash and magnesium. The following season in 2009 I had a bumber harvest," Touhid said. Aminul Islam, a farmer from the same village, said before Porimal arrived in 2006 they did not even know who their supervisor was in Zafarpur area. Local union council chairman Rezaul Islam said that every farmer in the area is fond of Porimol because he never refuses to help. "He is always busy serving the farmers. He is found in the fields everyday sharing his knowledge with the farmers and talking about their problems,” said Rezaul. “He is also training farmers on integrated crop management (IPM).” Most of the vegetable farmers have achieved very good harvests following his instructions on IPM and use of snares for pest management,” he added. Porimal also volunteers for the local landless farmers. He has formed several working groups with landless people who are trained on cultivation of beans and vegetables on the strips of land by the roadside. A landless farmer, Abbas Ali, of Shalmara village said, nine members of his working group earned Tk 36,000 by selling vegetables cultivated on the roadside land last year. "Porimal babu provided seeds and trained us how to cultivate them," Abdul Halim of the village said adding, "We'll continue to cultivate it as it's an extra source of income." Porimal's senior colleagues at the upazila level are also all praise for his love for the work. "I am overwhelmed to see how an official can be so devoted to his profession. He really needs to be recognised so that others in the field are encouraged to follow his path," said Mohammad Ali, Mithapukur upazila agriculture officer. Porimal's love for farmers and agriculture has prompted the neighbouring Mithapukur DAE to set up an Integrated Crop Management Club at Zafarpur block. There will be computers and internet services in the club. The farmers will be able to get updated information on agriculture from the club, the upazila agriculture officer added.
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