The cropping pattern in the Barind region is changing day by day. Once known as ‘Storehouse of Paddy’ the Barind region is now turned to a region filled with diverse crops, vegetables and fruits. This change occurred during the past three decades with the introduction of irrigation and afforestation projects in rugged Barind tract by the Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities.
Before the introduction of BMDA, the entire Barind tract covering entire Chapainawabganj district, Godagari and Tanore upazila of Rajshahi district and Porsha, Sapahar, Badalgacchi and Niamatpur of Naogaon district looked wry, dry and deserted. The people of the region depended on only one crop round the year- the rain-fed paddy.
It was not possible to cultivate other crops during the dry or winter season because of lack of water supply. The monsoon rain used to make the dry Barind land filled with water to till and cultivate paddy there. Had there been insufficient rainfall, the crop failed and the people of Barind region had to starve. The region was known as the worst poverty hit region of the country.
In fact, there were no middle class people in the region. The region was inhabited mainly by two sections of people- one section belonged to the landlord and the other was the poverty stricken Kishan or farmhands, who were virtually like slaves of those landlords. However, some of such farmhands also worked as sharecroppers of those landlords who were known as ‘Adhiar’.
Now there has also been a change in the climatic pattern of the Barind region. Due to massive afforestation, the dry, arid and parched region has turned to a green, livable region filled with trees and foliage. Instead of one crop now three crops are being cultivated. Due to availability of water supply, the raised land which remained dry for more than eight months a year is being cultivated by various crops, vegetables and fruits including wheat, maize, pulse, tomato, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, brinjal, potol, chilli, bottle gourd, korola and sweet-gourd (Mistikumra).
According to statistics of BADC, the region now produces and supplies nearly 30 percent of quality rice of the country, 50 percent of quality tomatoes and more than 70 percent of quality mangoes of the country.
Agriculture Extension Department sources of Rajshahi informed, once upon a time most of the vegetables, pulses and fruits were supplied to various markets and hats of Barind region from other regions of the country which were non-available, costly and beyond the purchasing capacity of common people. But, now the cropping scenario has been changed and reversed. Instead of importing, crops, vegetables and fruits from the Barind region are rather now being supplied to other regions of the country and even exported abroad.
Before the introduction of the projects of BMDA, people of the region suffered from malnutrition and various diseases caused due to lack of vitamins. Godagari Upazila Health complex used to receive a huge number of patients suffering from malnutrition and vitamin deficiency. There were a large number of patients suffering from blindness, skin rash, rickets and stomach ailments. But, now patients suffering from those diseases are rarely seen to visit the hospital, informed a health visitor of the hospital.
The Barind region has also now turned self-sufficient in fish and poultry production. A large number of ponds have been excavated in the region and almost all filled, dried up water canals, ponds of the region have been re-excavated by BMDA. Now, water from those water bodies is being used for irrigation purposes and for fish production at the same time.
Saidur Rahman, an engineer of Harin Biska village under Godagari thana informed, due to re excavation of ponds and water bodies of the region, there has been a change in climatic pattern and increase of fish production as well as crop production. The BMDA has turned as blessings of the region, he mentioned. The BMDA has also started to use new technology in the Barind region to produce more crops by using less water.
A recent project named as Dug-well or Patkua project has drawn wide attention from all sections of people of the country. Under this project, rain water is harvested in dug-wells through an umbrella-like structure made by solar panels overhead of the well. By using this process, people of rugged Barind region were collecting the water for their daily use and also for irrigating their vegetables and fruit fields.
He opined, the prized project like Barind project should be extended all over the country to assist the farmers of the country to produce crops, vegetables, fruits and to cultivate fish by utilising optimum water resources and new technology.