Sattyaranjan Saha, from Harirampur, Manikganj

The majority of people in Bengladesh depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Based on the nature of high, medium, and low lands, farmers cultivate different crops. In Harirampur, local varieties of Boro rice have long been cultivated along the banks of the Padma and Ichamati rivers. When the river water recedes, fertile sandy soil enriched with silt becomes ideal for Boro rice cultivation. BARCIK supports farmers in seed conservation and exchange.

Farmer Rabeya Begum said, “The harvest season of Boro rice is the happiest time for us. It doesn’t require chemical fertilizers and the cost is low. The sandy soil and open air help the rice grow well, providing us with safe food.”

Fisherman Ratan Rajbongshi said, “We’ve lost land to the erosion of the Padma River, but when new sandbars form, we cultivate local Boro rice there. No other rice grows well on the riverbanks. That’s why we conserve Boro rice seeds ourselves.” He went on saying, “8 to 10 maunds (approx. 320–400 kg) of rice can be harvested from 33 decimals (about one-third of an acre) without any additional cost.”

Farmer Saheb Ali explained, “The silt-rich soil on the riverbank often has knee-deep mud, so we have to transplant the seedlings while standing on banana stalks or bamboo poles. The seedlings are planted by poking the mud with sticks.”

Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Touhiduzzaman said, “Every year, the Padma River creates new chars (sandbars) and basins suitable for Boro rice. Local Boro rice is disaster-resilient and less prone to pests. It grows in just three months without chemical fertilizers. The straw from Boro rice is also high in demand as cattle feed.”

Thus, the erosion and new formations of the Padma River have shaped a unique tradition of Boro rice cultivation in Harirampur. With low input costs, high yields, and safe food production, farmers see Boro rice as a profitable and sustainable crop.