Purity of soil and crop

In 2007, a woman farmer-cum-entrepreneur Selina Jahan started inspiring many rural women towards agriculture and vermicompost with the help of local administration and agriculture department. She involved many women with diverse agricultural activities. Women in this region have gotten involved with agriculture, producing vermicompost and everyday they’re trying to upgrade their livelihood.Farmers have deep bonding with crops and soil. Crops on the soil give hints that humans need food. In contrast, devastated soil narrates its tremendous pain of losing the power to produce. Soil has given everything to the crops. We look towards the produce, however, we never think about the mother, the soil. Farmers who thought about this, they’re now pretty terrified. In such a situation, soil begs nutrients from us. It seems like only a mother can understand what’s been going on with the soil, another mother.Selina Jahan of Narsingdi district has brought out women from home to lands. She has sown seeds of becoming ‘self-reliant’ amongst many women. Among many others in Rangpur, Jhenaidah, young farming entrepreneurs in Kushtia and across the whole country, there has been a revolution in organic farming through the hands of organic fertilizer in this imbalanced nature and soil where it’s been tough to grow.Hridoye Mati O Manush has been keen since its inception in 2004 and has been following the key role players of agriculture who have been contributing to the development of the sector in real meaning. And, organic farming plays a vital part in nurturing the soil and increasing production. There are now many innovative organic farmers in Bangladesh by today who simply changed the whole scenario.Women, who are faced with familiar crisis and pushed back at the wall, now they live on dreams to go ahead, inspired by organic farming. Women have become ‘self-governed’ doing vegetable garden, poultry farming and fruit orchards. Many women have already produced environment-friendly and pesticide-free crops and vegetables.This is a war against toxins – a social movement against harmful chemicals. The revolution is to save soil, environment and the public health. Rural women are now involved with making vermicompost on their own. In a short time women have well-understood the significance of the natural plougher, vermicompost. Which one is hybrid, which can produce better fertilizer and which one can really bring good fortune for them?Making the house, mixing worms with cow-dung, banana-tree and water hyacinth; producing fertilizer within 45 days and implementing it on fields – farmers have found great amusement in doing all these because, they’re earning good money. The inspiration has gone across many regions. In many parts of Bangladesh farmers are building vermicompost plant on their own. Each house in the plant is the work-field for an individual farmer.Mobarak Hossain, Seuli, Abdul Majid, Reshma Akhter, Helal Uddin, Phul Jahan are the organic farmers who have spread across Bangladesh and many are now following their footsteps.Bangladesh uses 50,000 Mt.tons of pesticides every year that costs around 50,000 crore BDT. 28,00,000 Mt.tons of urea is used as chemical fertilizer. These are devastating the environment and soil. To get rid of these harmful deeds, we really need organic fertilizer and an environment-friendly cultivation system.To reduce the production cost, farmers need to produce environment-friendly crops and earn more. Farmers now move ahead with their indigenous knowledge as well as training. Apart from public and private initiatives, farmer’s own effort is valued as the most commanding strength for Bangladesh’s agricultural development.“If you use organic fertilizer, then you don’t need pesticides or chemical fertilizers”, said Selina.“When we’ll use vermicompost at the beginning, the ratio will be: 5kgs for each decimal of land, 2.5kgs in the second and 1.15kgs for third year”, she added.“Is this the way the soil will get back its fertility”, I asked.“That’s how the land will get back its fertility. For humans, milk is an ideal food. Organic fertilizers are best for lands. Keep this in mind”, boldly replied Selina.The inspiring organic farmers of Bangladesh are now growing organic paddy – enriched with organic compost they are now making themselves – they look greener than other neighbouring lands where chemical fertilizers were used conventionally. Organic fertilizer saves the cost by three times than the chemicals.Success in the organic farming goes to the diligent farmers of Bangladesh. They have sacrificed their life to establish a healthy agriculture. And the pathfinder woman entrepreneur Selina could very well work with the agricultural extension system all over the country. We have to remember, if we do not treat the soil well, the soil will not treat us well with abundant healthy produce. Bangladesh would love to see these kinds of dedicated individuals in every region who will make us proud every day and enrich the precious soil of our country.