By Parboti Rani Singh, from Atpara, Netrokona
A farmers’ meeting and Paching Festival was held recently at the Crop Hospital in Durgashram village, Swormushia Union, Atpara Upazila, Netrokona, organized by Bagda Haor Farmers’ Association and BARCIK to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and public health, based on recent survey findings.
Local UP member Habibullah, Assistant Officers of the Upazila Agriculture Extension Department Saiful Alam, Md. Ferdous Wahid, Md. Monwar Hossain, and BARCIK official Md. Ahidur Rahman attended the meeting.
During the discussion, Md. Ahidur Rahman shared the survey findings, stating, “Pesticides are highly harmful to human health and the environment. Uncontrolled and careless use in agriculture severely affects public health and nature. We need to shift towards environmentally friendly farming practices and take effective steps to expand these alternatives.”
Md. Monwar Hossain, Assistant Officer of the Upazila Agriculture Extension Department, said, “Reducing pesticide use requires collective action. Before reaching the pesticide stage, farmers should adopt various organic measures, seed and soil treatment, cultivation of dhanchia crops, paching, ash application, mixed cropping, use of pheromone traps, and avoid repeated cultivation of the same crop on the same land.”
Local UP member Habibullah said, “To increase farmers’ awareness, such meetings should be conducted in every village, accompanied by awareness discussions.”
Farmer Md. Alim Uddin shared, “We have been working for a long time at the Crop Hospital on organic pest control skills and organic farming practices. More awareness programs and discussions are needed to reduce pesticide use.”
The event concluded with participants applying paching in the field while chanting the slogan, “Protect crops, stop environmental pollution.”
