By Md. Ohidur Rahman, from Netrakona

Farmers’ influence in agriculture is growing, whether we want to refer to it as the “green revolution,” “modern agriculture,” or “development.” Farmers’ internal dependence, helpfulness, experience, expertise, and rituals of exchanging are all steadily declining. In the middle of this, when visitors visit the home of Dulal Mia from Tarakanda, Bikosha of Khicha village, their preconceived notions shift and they are able to experience a new setting that eventually inspires others. From an early age, Dulal Mia was influenced by his father, whom he considers to be his mentor. He worked in agriculture and gained experience by working alongside his father. This can be described as the generational practice of imparting practical knowledge.

Being from an agro-based family, he has experienced various agricultural experiments throughout the course of his 49 years. He designed his home as an agri-house that is naturally managed and sustainable. The nearby farmers get together in this house once a week to talk about ways to make organic farming better and how to expand family farming for safer, more sustainable food production. In addition to restricting the conversation, Dulal Mia trains these farmers through these weekly gatherings.

His land area is 96 decimals. His residence is located in a corner of this property, while the remainder is his arable land, on which he has planted a variety of fruits, flowers, vegetables, medicinal plants, and wooden trees. He grows a variety of fruits throughout the year. The extra veggies are sold at the market and given to family members or neighbors. Additionally, he preserves all of these seeds as well as rice varieties’ seeds. As a member of the Khicha Farmers Association, he consistently encourages or supports other farmers by offering guidance, conservation, and seed exchanges. He stated in an interview that over the past year, he has given 84 farmers roughly 16 different kinds of rice seeds.

Through the Shadhupara Farmers Association, he has ties to BARCIK, a non-governmental organization that promotes the growth of the local population.
A list of his cultivable objects is as follows: Mango, berry, jackfruit, licchi, guava, grapefruit, Bilimbi, palm, sweet orange, hog palm, date, ripe papaya, golden apple (Bael), coconut, betel nut, starfruit, orange, pomegranate, jujube, olive, lemon, tamarind, moringa, sugar apple, Java apple, wood apple, sapodilla, elephant apple, and so on were among the fruits he received. In his garden, he frequently grows potatoes, beans, ladyfingers, bitter gourds, red spinach, pumpkin, malabar spinach, and gourds.

Medicinal plants are in great demand right now. Myrobalan, Bay Leaf, Betel Leaf, Vasak, Indian Pennywort, Devil’s trumpet, Mimosa, and Neem are among the therapeutic plants that Dulal has cultivated. In addition to these, he planted spices like garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriender. He also keeps other uncultivated plants like bamboo, amaranth, arum, lobe, water spinach, and so on. Some native rice varieties that are in danger of going extinct are preserved by Dulal Mia. These include Kalojira, Hori, Kumri, Aijong, Jhapiboro, Baroboji, Biroi, and Shubash Mukta. Along with this, he has a large number of goats, chickens, cows, and ducks. He meets his protein needs and makes a lot of money from these animals, which helps him stay solvent. To keep his house and field safe, he raises a few dogs and cats.

He is highly skilled at creating different types of organic compost, which provide 60% of his fertilizer needs. He uses green manure, ashes, and vermicompost, among other materials. He makes this compost in a pit that is 12 feet deep. Government and non-governmental groups trained him in livestock rearing, seed conservation, and waste management. Because of his ideology, personal interests, and earned training, he has developed into a knowledgeable individual. Every year, he hosts a sharing discussion at his place. Dulal claims that his wife is the source of all the inspiration behind these accomplishments.

Since he receives roughly 1 lakh 15 thousand taka after all of his expenses, this family farm has given him a great deal of financial stability. Despite not having the opportunity to further his education, he gave his children a supportive environment in which to learn. In addition to his academic education, this education includes the knowledge he has learned from his parents and his agricultural experience. When his kids grow up, he hopes they will establish a learning center where people can learn about natural agriculture and how to protect it from the dangerous inputs used by big businesses. Dulal Mia considers the defenseless farmers who are constantly impacted by the corporate politics of farming. His intention is to remain.

Dulal Mia considers the defenseless farmers who are constantly impacted by the corporate politics of farming. His goal is to support these individuals so they can receive the dignity they are due.