By Subir Kumar Sarker, from Ghior, Manikganj
Farmers in low-lying villages have long observed their elders using water hyacinth to grow vegetables during the rainy season. In the Bengali month of Bhadra (August–September), when water hyacinth becomes abundant in canals, wetlands, ponds and rivers, they pile it up on the water. As the plants gradually decompose, they add decomposed cow dung and soil, then sow local bottle gourd and bean seeds.
From Asharh to Kartik (June–November), water hyacinth grows abundantly in water bodies during the monsoon. Farmers can use it at no cost to prepare growing beds and cultivate crops in advance for the winter season, even while the land remains submerged. The decomposed water hyacinth provides organic matter and retains moisture, helping plants grow quickly and produce better yields without chemical fertilizers.
Farmers in Dhalai, Joynagar, Helachia and Begamnagar villages are practicing agroecology by growing vegetables on water hyacinth heaps.
Nargis Begum, a farmer from Dhalai village, said, “Every year, I make heaps of water hyacinth and plant bottle gourd seeds. My plants produce plenty of gourds. They taste good and cook quickly, becoming soft in a short time. As a result, I can sell them at a better price in the market.”
She considers this a safe vegetable-growing method that requires no production costs or chemical fertilizers. This year, Nargis made nine water hyacinth heaps around her pond and planted local bottle gourd and bean seeds.
The practice is gaining popularity among local farmers as a low-cost way to grow traditional vegetables using locally available resources.