Gunjon Rema from Netrokona

The Nature and Life Fair 2025 has been organized by BARCIK in collaboration with the Velotoli village of Netrokona with the community to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation. Farmers, environmentalists, like-minded organizations, students, and locals all attended the fair.
The fair was hosted by Gripson Chambugang, the convener of pluralistic society development, and facilitated by Gunjan Rema, the program officer of BARCIK. The main guest was Mr. Ripon Saha, Kalmakanda Netrokona’s Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer. The event was attended by 130 farmers from four unions, Mr. Ohidur Rahman, Regional Coordinator of BARCIK; Mr. Shankar Prang, Assistant Coordinator; Mr. Harun-ur-Rashid, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer; Mr. Noor Alam, a member of Nazirpur Ward No. 01; Mr. Fahim Ahmed, DSK representative; and Mr. Maulana Abu Bakkar Siddique, Member Secretary of the Multicultural Society Development Center.

Call for the preservation of natural resources.

Mr. Ripon Saha, Kalmakanda Netrokona’s Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer, was the main guest at the fair’s opening ceremony. As stated by the speakers, “We can maintain the balance of the environment through local agriculture and traditional farming methods.” “Sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly living must be given importance to ensure the coexistence of nature and humans.” Highlighting the value of local and lost seeds among farmers was the goal of the fair’s special arrangements, which included an exhibition stall of diverse local seeds. There were some more objectives of the fair as-

-Encouraging sustainable farming practices and the avoidance of chemicals.

-Promoting climate-change-adaptive local farming technologies.

The primary objective of the cottage industry exhibition stall is to establish avenues for the marketing and promotion of regional crafts and traditional industries. It will promote women’s self-employment and increase the market for their goods. Moreover, it will emphasize the contribution of cottage industries to the growth of the rural economy and to promote the use of recyclable and ecologically friendly materials.

Hazal Stall (Local Incubator for birds)—This stall’s objective was to demonstrate how eggs are hatched using the Hazal method, which is a custom of that area. It will also educate the community about a sustainable, natural approach of raising chickens. Additionally, it will ensure the significance of strategically developing eggs without the use of power or contemporary incubators. The farmers in rural areas will be able to maintain low-cost production of chicken. And it is simple and sustainable way to breed poultry in order to generate prospects for small-scale animal production. This stall will describe how the Hajal system helps the rural population to satisfy its nutritional and food security demands.

The stalls in the fair attempted to spread awareness about uncultivated food by emphasizing the contribution of uncultivated plants to rural residents’ food security. This will educate people about wholesome, locally sourced, chemical-free food. This knowledge will illustrate several approaches to the production of affordable, sustainable, and ecologically friendly food. Lastly it will guarantee the preservation and reintroduction of foods that have been lost or are not as well-known as other common foods.

All the 4 stalls were awarded with 8 different variety of chicken as prize based upon their overall contribution.
Views of the Locals: This fair is viewed by the village’s farmers and businesspeople as a very successful endeavor. They said, “We have gained new insight about the significance of our indigenous seeds and farming practices.” Md. Tajuddin stated, “I also came up with some fantastic ideas for farming without the use of chemicals.” The Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer stated, “In today’s fair, we can see stalls displaying local diverse seeds, cottage industry exhibitions, hatching eggs using the Hazal method, and stalls selling uncultivated food, which give us guidance on the sustainable use of natural resources.” Along with safeguarding the environment, these programs are crucial for maintaining food security and the rural economy. “I think this fair will inspire us to build sustainable coexistence with nature,” stated Maulana Abu Bakar Siddique. He added that, “A lovely equilibrium between humans and nature will be achieved via our combined efforts.”

In addition to being an exhibition, the “Nature and Life Fair 2025,” which is based on the relationship between nature and living humans, is a special effort to raise awareness of environmental issues. The fair’s emphasis on biodiversity, cottage industries, local agriculture, and sustainable lifestyles has encouraged the rural population to become more self-sufficient. The fair has made a significant contribution to sustainable agriculture and an eco-friendly way of life by raising awareness of the raised topics including the preservation of native seeds, the usage of uncultivated food, livestock production using the Hajal method, and the growth of cottage enterprises.