Saline affected Kalapara green again with crops
Farmers use sweet water stored in canals
Farmers of Manjupara village in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali inspect a field full of well grown paddy. The photo was taken a few days ago.Photo: STAR
Kalapara farmers are happy as they achieved a bumper production of boro and other crops this year on their saline-affected land they irrigated with the help of sweet water. With financial support from an NGO, the farmers built dams in front of eight sluice gates to prevent saline water from entering their land and stored sweet water in the canals. They cultivated boro, maize, pulses, chilli, nut and watermelon on about 350 hectares of land by using sweet water from those canals. Sources in Kalapara upazila agriculture office said the area was flooded during cyclones Sidr and Alia in 2007 and 2009 and the agricultural land was badly affected by saline water. Around 400 farmers of Pashurbunia, Chinguria, Banatepara, Monjupara, Chandupara, Kalamia villages built dams in front of the sluice gates in September last year. Later they, stored sweet water in the canals and cultivated boro and other crops on their land by using the water, the sources added. Dudhal Howlader, 50, a farmer of Monjupara village under Lalua union, told this correspondent that he cultivated boro on three hectares of land and chilli, nut and pulses on over five hectares this year. Kalapara Upazila Agriculture Officer Rezaul Karim said local farmers harvested about 150 mounds of paddy from each hectare of land. Amjad Ali, 45, of the same village, said he cultivated boro on three hectares of land and pulses and chilli on another four hectares. “Next year, more farmers will be encouraged to cultivate their land by using sweet water from the canals," he said. A boro harvesting festival was celebrated at Monjupara village on Thursday last. Prof Mostafizur Rahman, Kalapara upazila chairman, Sultan Mahmud, vice-chairman, Bilkis Jahan, woman vice-chairman and agriculture officials joined the festival. SM Rakib, coordinator of ActionAid, the NGO in Kalapara upazila, said: “We encouraged the farmers to store sweet water in the canals and use it in dry season for cultivation".
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