By Jhutan Pal from Netrakona
The saying “farmers’ seeds are farmers’ wealth” has become increasingly relevant in today’s agricultural landscape. The expansion of external inputs intensive agriculture has curtailed the right of farmers on agriculture and their control on seeds. As a result, farmers often find themselves dependent on dealers, searching for seeds at the start of every planting season.
In response to this growing problems, farmer organizations in Netrakona, in collaboration with BARCIK, have been conducting action research and conserve local rice varieties. Their initiative aims to restore control over seeds to the farmers themselves.
During the current Boro season, as part of action research, farmers cultivated 44 different local rice varieties on the same plot of land in Rameshwarpur village under Atpara sub-district. This farmer-led research initiative allowed them to observe and compare the performance of each variety under identical conditions.
On April 23, 2026, farmers from various sub-districts gathered for a field day to inspect the research plot. They selected different native varieties from the plot based on yield, resistance to disease, early maturity, and grain quality. From the 44 varieties, they selected nine as the most promising for future cultivation.
One of the participating farmers, Manik Mia, expressed his determination to continue this practice. He emphasized the importance of preserving seeds within the farming community, saying that reliance on external sources should be reduced.
This initiative has already made a significant impact. Farmers in the region have successfully selected and cultivated dozens of local rice varieties across different seasons, strengthening both agricultural diversity and food security.
