Vegetable farming makes Monju self-reliant

Cultivation of a variety of vegetables has brought good days to the family of landless farmer Monju, 48, son of late Shamsuddin Fakir of Borobaripara in Shajahanpur upazila of the district, in the last few years.

Following the cultivation of numerous vegetables in the leased land, the farmer has changed his lot. He can now afford education of his daughter in a local high school, which was previously impossible, and ensure the development of the family.

Having only three decimals of paternal land for his homestead, he could not even feed his family, and had to go hungry many days.

Being determined to be self-reliant, he has been trying to overcome poverty by leasing lands for the last few years. Five months back he took lease of 38 decimals of land from one Ratan Sarker for Tk 20 thousand for one year.

He has cultivated a variety of vegetables like potol, red-spinach, gourd, papaya, water pumpkin, borboti and banana and already sold potol and borboti of around Tk 10 thousand and banana of Tk 10 thousand so far and a huge amount of potol was ready for sale at better price.

He said his daughter is studying in the nearby Chupinagar High School in Class VI and his son is working as a carpenter. They are leading a very happy life and hoping to lease more land within a few months to expand the business. He hoped that he can earn around Tk 50-60 thousand from the land.

Nikhil Kumar Das, deputy assistant agriculture officer of DAE, said their officials have been creating awareness among the field-level farmers through yard meeting, field visiting, distributing leaflets and training them about cultivation of vegetables in the district.