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The High Barind Tract: Its Major Problems and Prospect in Agriculture

by Md Shafiqul Islam
**More researches are being carried out to find ways to minimise agricultural problems in the area and it may be expected that appropriate solution would come out from such efforts.
B ARIND' is a Persian r-Cword. It means elevated land or hills.
Since the land is the most elevated in greater Rajshahi district it may be assumed that the name was derived for this reason. On the other hand, there is ritual belief in Indian mythology that Indra. God of the rains, gives order or Bar'. Without the orders of Indra there would be no rain on this vast land having hard red soil. So, Bar' and 'Indra' were combined to give 'Barandra' (Barind) (Hussain et. al.. 1991). This High Barind tract is distinctive physiographic unit situated at the north-west of Bangladesh and is characterised by extreme climatic condition. In respect of agro-ecology and socio-econ-omy. this part of the country has got some peculiarity which affects the farming systems of the area. This part of the country has been called Bangladesh's "green desert" (Brammer, 1985).
The elevation of the High Barind Tract above sea level ranges from 43m in the west and 12-15m in the east. The High Barind Tract is under agro-ecological zone 26 located between north latitudes of 24°25' to 2^'10' and east longitudes of 88u to 89u and covers an area of 1600kmz In Ra-JshahL Nawabgaig and Naogaon districts, The topography wiJjia. area is undulated or dissected. According to thd land use pattern. Single Trans-planted aman (T.Aman) rice predominates in this region (Ralsuddin and Nur-E-Elahi, 1984; Brammer. 1985). On a much smaller scale, local Broad cast aus (B. Aus) rice is grown in Kharif-I. which is followed either by T. Aman (if B. Aus is sown and harvested early) or a chickpea (gramj+barley mixture in rabi season. Rabi cropping after T. Aman is rare and usually considered when irrigation Is available (Hamid and Hunt. 1987). Consequently, the cropping Intensity is low (129%) in this region (BBS. 1987). But there is a bright prospect of agriculture in
this region subject to proper planning. The major problems and prospect of agriculture in this region is. therefore, discussed in this paper so that the Agricultural researchers. Department of Agricultural Extension and national and regional planners can take appropriate action for the development of agriculture in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh.
This writeup is leased on information gathered through various surveys, rapid rural appraisal participatory rural appraisal, intensive field investi-Sation. research findings and eld monitoring. Some secondary information is also used to provide a basis of evidence.
Identified major problems through this survey research along with their probable solutions are given below :
Low & Erratic Rainfall
Onset and cessation of monsoon rainfall is more erratic in this region than elsewhere in the country. Herethemean annual rainfall ranges from 1285mm ( ± 311mm) at Goda-gari in the south and 1402mm f± 295)mm) at Nithpur in the north (FAO. 1988), but it falls during the six months (May to October) growing season leaving the area, extremely dry during the rertof.kbetfaai * k-ptluund . that only four mpnths (June tp September) are W«t (feceifes more than 200mm rainfall). Moisture depletion starts from October and at the end of December no residual soil moisture remains available for any crop cultivation which continues up to the end of April (Idrish et.. al.. 1987). Uncertainty prevails during pre (April-, May) and post (October-Novem-' ber) monsoon season which hampers growing aus and rabi crops (Brammer. 1985). Sometimes. T Aman rice faces drought during flowering and grain filling stages
For minimising this prob lem. On-Farm studies were conducted at Fanning Systems
Research Site. Saroll, Barind, Rajshahi. from 1988-1991 to determine the effect of harvesting rain water at mini ponds for supplemental irrigation in T Aman and rabi crops that can be grown by using the water. Significant increase in grain yield (52%) was observed by applying one supplemental irrigation during reproductive phase in T Aman over rainfed. For 1988 and 1989. yield increase in modern variety (MV) rice was 73 per cent and 62 per cent and in local variety (LV) rice was 44 per cent and 40 per cent respectively. For one supplemental Irrigation of 6 cm in T Aman rice. 6.4 per cent of the land area is needed to excavate a pond up to a depth of 3m. If water is not required for supplemental irrigation in T Aman, rabi crops like wheat and potato can be grown in an area of 800 to 1300 m2 by using the water of a pond size of 10x10x3m and these crops showed good economic performance. (Islam et.. al., 1995). Besides, the OFRD. BARI Barind station has developed three improved cropping patterns over farmers existing traditional patterns. All these pat teras'include green maour-.. Ing crop dbalncha for inclusion oforganlc ihafUh'as whll as increasing moisture holding capacity of the soil. Among these three improved cropping patterns two include rainfed rabi crops for increasing cropping intensity in this area. Performance of all these three improved cropping patterns is excellent over existing traditional patterns. So the farmers of this area can follow these improved cropping patterns and can get much benefits under the existing situation Like Neem. Shishu and Ipll-lpil showed very good performance tn the home-Meads For proper utilisation of homesteads fulfilment of family nutrition and for generating an
extra Income for the farmers a vegetable production module including creeper as well as some vegetable patterns has been developed by the OFRD, BARI, Barind team. The creeper vegetables are sweet ground, ash gourd, sponge gourd, bean, bitter gourd, etc. (Kar et.. al.. 1993).
Sparse Natural Vegetation
Natural vegetation is sparsely scattered and rapidly declining in this area. There is an acute shortage of fuel and timber in the High Barind area. Low rainfall, high temperature during summer and poor soil are some of the ecological factors limiting the vegetation in this area. However, the huge gap between demands and supplies of fuel wood, timber and other forest products has resulted In over exploitation of forest resources both in state forest as well as in village forest of Bangladesh (Chowdhury. 1988). This situation is more serious in the High Barind area. As a consequence, the entire population In the area is badly .affected- This situation com-peiied the farmer dung and crop residues which could be otherwise used as organic manure in crop land.
Due to insufficient fallow land in this area it is very difficult to establish any pure stand forest. But it is found that there is a great possibility to grow different multipurpose tree species in the wide crop field bunds. Through various trial and experimentation it is found that Snishu (Dalbargia sisoo). Neem (Azadirarhia indica), Babla. (Acacia nilotica). and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) have great potential in the High Barind area (Kar et.. al.. 1990) If the farmers of this area grow these tree species on their crop Held bunds, they would be able
to produce fuel wood, timber, fodder and ecological balance will be maintained.
Shortage of Fodder
Scarcity of fodder is the main factor limiting production in the High Barina Tract. During monsoon season near about 100 per cent crop land is covered by the wet land transplanted aman rice in this area (Shahidullah et.. al.. 1983). This period, i.e.. from July-November, there is a serious shortage of fodder, in Barind the farmers are not much attentive to their livestock feeds, farmers usually use dry rice straw as the main feed for cattle and buffalo, and for goat and sheep, grazing is the main source of feed. But during monsoon when the fields remain covered with T Aman rice, the livestock remain confined which ultimately affects the animal health seriously.
For minimising this problem, a module for production of fodder as well as fuel has been developed for the High Barind Tract by the OFRD. Barind team. TTiis module includes Gohama (Sorghum) as fodder
Low Organic Matter Content of Soil
The organic matter content of the High Barind soils is very low. It ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 cent (Musa et.. at.. 1989). Due to low organic matter content, the soils become very much droughty and cracking Is found during dry season which ultimately hampers the crop cultivation. Organic matter is the life of soils which Increases the soli fertility as well as moisture hoilding capacity of the soil by improving the soil physical character. As the rainfall is low and ceases early In this area, so it is essential to increase mois-
ture, holding capacity of the soil so that dry season crops can be established.
There is a good scope to increase soil fertility as well as moisture holding capacity of the soil by introducing green manuring crops before T Aman rice. As green manuring crop dhaincha (Sesbanla aculeata), African dhaincha (Sesbanla ros-trata) and sunhemp (Crotolaria juncia) cultivation has a great potential in this area. Research was conducted on nitrogen fixing efficiency of dhanicna and sunhemp and their effect on the yield of T Aman rice at the Farming Systems Research and Development Site (FSRDS) Saroil, and Multilocation Testing Site (MLTS). Nachole. Nawabganj in the years 1988-1990. It was observed from three years findings that dhaincha and sunhemp could produce 17-20 ton and 15-18 ton green biomass/ha at FSRDS and MLTS respectively (Islam and Kar, 1991) which increased the yield of MV T Aman rice significantly. Green manure could reduce the nitrogenous fertilizer dose by 50 per cent in MV T Aman rice cultivation, and increase' the Soil thoisture'holding capacity .which ultimately ensures rainled rabi crops cultivation.
Underutilised Homestead
About 77 per cent homesteads remained underutilised In the High Barind tract and about 20 per cent farms do not have their own homesteads even (Islam, 1988). It was found that there were few number of trees in the homesteads. Due to low. erratic and uncertain rainfall and low natural fertility of the soil, the vegetables cultivation practices in the homesteads are almost absent In this area. Per head per day vegetable consumption in our
country Is only 25g while in the developed country it varies up to 300-500g (Rahman. 1988). In the High Barind area the vegetable consumption rate was far below than that of national average.
For improvement of homesteads several experiments were conducted by the OFRD team of Barind station. From those experiment results it was found that for homesteads of this area Guava. Jujube, Hogpalm, Tamarind, Lemeon and Mango were the most suitable fruit tree species. Besides these, some multipurpose tree species
Free Grazing of Cattle
During Dry Season Hampers Rabi Crops
Cultivation
Free grazing of cattle, goat and sheep during dry season is a threat to rainfed crop cultivation in this area. After harvesting the T Aman rice most of the fanners keep their land fallow. But a few farmers have been cultivating rainfed rabi crops after harvesting short duration T Aman rice. Since most of the land remain fallow, the farmers of this area graze animals freely in the field during this period. So it is very difficult to protect limited area of rabi crops in the field.
। This problem can be min-imised'bytirttivating rabi crops in blocks. If group of farmers can take decision combinedly to grow MV short duration rice in a contiguous block, they can 8row rainfed rabi crops as well.
’ they can increase cropping intensity by following improved cropping patterns, the free grazing problem will be ultimately minimised. But the trade-off between grazing and rabi crop cultivation needs careful evaluation.
Absentee Landlords
Existing social and cultural pattern also acts as a crucial problem in the area. Because, most of the lands in the High Barind area are owned by the absentee land-lords and those
are cultivated by the poor tenant farmers. These tenants are not able to use different inputs adequately specially chemical fertilizers in cultivating crops. Ultimately the yield of crops is not satisfactory. Most of the tenants (80%) cultivate ’barga1 (rented in land) under 50-50 crop sharing arrangement: with full input costs (Islam et.. al.. 1990). This sharing arrangement is against the tenant farmers and ultimately they become loser. Besides, the tenants have been facing numerous problems like uncertainty of agreement period, supremacy of the landlords, lack of credit and inadequate technical knowhow. It Is necessary to take initiative by the concerned Govt, authority to retain the rights of tenant farmers by organising them and implementing proper rules and regulation. Further, the government can make arrangement for supplying of some expensive agricultural inputs like good quality improved seeds, fertilizers, etc. to the poor tenant farmers at a subsidised price from a convenient source.
Conclusion
The writeup discussed seven major/lundamental problems related to agriculture in the High Barind Tract of Bangladesh? It (s'ndf to say tha! there ire no other: iprKSttWflte besides the discussed ones. Rather, it intends to advocate that the unidentified other problems are not as much serious as those identified. Probable solutions of these problems are, however, discussed with support of research findings. There might be some other to minimise these problems. Researchers have been conducting more research to minimise the agricultural problems in this area and it can be expected that more appropriate solution would come out from their efforts.
The writer is Deputy Director of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD). Comilla.