Satkhira Correspondent
Debhata Upazila is a coastal area of Satkhira district. Where salinity is a major agricultural problem. Especially during the dry season, during water shortages, there is an excess of salt in irrigated water and land. As a result, the yield of other crops including paddy is hampered. Farmers often lose interest in cultivation or suffer losses. In this context, the demand for salt-tolerant varieties is increasing day by day. However, Solidarity Network Asia and Uttaran NGO are showing new hope in this area. Under the ‘Success for IWRM’ project implemented by the organization, experimental cultivation of Bri Hybrid Paddy-8 was carried out in the lands of 6 farmers from 3 unions of Debhata Upazila of Satkhira to verify the feasibility. Bri Hybrid Rice-8 is a new high-yielding hybrid rice developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). It is a variety that is tolerant to salinity, has fewer diseases and matures early. The rice plant is strong, the ears are long and thick, so the yield is significantly higher. Aarti Sardar, a farmer from the Ticket area, said that she planted three varieties of rice, Bri Hybrid-8, SL-8 and ACI, in her Bagda Ghera. On the same land and with the same fertilizer application, Bri Hybrid-8 gave the highest yield, which produced 28.3 maunds per bigha. While SL-8 produced 22.8 maunds per bigha and SI 26.6 maunds. She also said that the rice ripens early and has low risk. Moreover, the plant is strong, has fewer diseases and can tolerate salt water. Although there was some damage due to sudden salt water rising in the Ghera, the yield was good. Abdul Majid, a farmer from Azizpur village in Sadar Union, said that he got 30 maunds of paddy per bigha by cultivating Bri Hybrid-8 paddy on 49 acres of land. Whereas last year, he got only 17.5 maunds per bigha by cultivating Aftab-70 on the same land. He mentioned that this new variety of paddy did not have any scab. Diseases were very few and it yielded well even in the saline environment of the enclosure. Compared to other paddy, Bri Hybrid-8 paddy ripens 5 to 7 days earlier. I thank the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute for developing such a paddy variety. Meanwhile, knowledgeable people say that Bri Hybrid Paddy-8 is gaining recognition as an ideal variety for cultivation in the enclosure-based saline land of the southern region due to its high yield and environmental tolerance. Debhata Sadar and Kuliya Union farmers are interested in cultivating it again in the next season. Which indicates the durability and acceptability of the variety. Due to less diseases and pests, the production cost is low, resulting in higher profit for the farmer. The successful cultivation of this rice has opened new possibilities in agriculture in Debhata Upazila. Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Shawkat Osman said that for the welfare of the farmers, the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is working to develop various improved rice varieties. Since salinity is high in our area, the quality of Bri-Hybrid-8 rice is good, so farmers will benefit by cultivating this variety of rice.