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Strip tillage increases maize output at reduced cost: experts

RANGPUR, May 25, 2018 (BSS) - Experts at a farmers' field day function have laid emphasis on popularising the strip tillage method in sowing maize seed to increase its output at reduced cost with conserving soil health.

The On-Farm Research Division (OFRD) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) jointly with RDRS Bangladesh organised the event on 'Results of maize output adopting strip tillage method' in Jahangirabad village under Pirganj upazila on Thursday afternoon.

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre extended assistance in arranging the event under the Sustainable and Resilient Farming System Intensification (SRFSI) project.

The event was arranged to exhibit benefits of conservation agriculture (CA)-based system intensification like strip tillage that allows sowing maize seed using strip machine without disturbing most parts of land keeping soil moisture intact for other crops.

Ninety male and female farmers, local service providers of CA- based technologies and local community leaders were present.

Principal Scientific Officer of the OFRD at BARI in Rangpur Dr Md Al-Amin Hossain Talukder attended the occasion as the chief guest with local school teacher Tofazzal Hossain in the chair.

Senior Scientific Officer of the OFRD at BARI in Rangpur Dr Md Shamim Hossain Mollah, Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer of the Department of Agriculture Extension Md Nurunnabi and Project Coordinator of SRFSI project Rashedul Islam also spoke.

Farmers Moslem Mian and Abul Hossain narrated the benefits of adopting strip tillage method in cultivating maize to get more output of the crop at reduced costs.

The chief guest said "Adoption of the strip tillage method in maize farming reduces cultivation costs for tillage, saving labour and irrigation costs Taka 2,000 to 3,000 per bigha of land giving up to 12 tonnes per hectare yield rate of the crop."

He called for cultivating maize using the CA-based technologies like strip tillage to increase its output making farm activities more profitable and improving soil health, environment and ecology under changing climate.