Dhaka South City Corporation's (DSCC) fourth farmers' market has opened in Azimpur in the capital. It was inaugurated on the morning of Friday, 21 October, in front of the Sir Salimullah Muslim Orphanage.

The market was set up with support from the government of the Netherlands, on the initiative of the DSCC, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust.

Ten farmers will sell the vegetables and fruit they grow there. To ensure safe food, the DAE vetted these farmers from Bhakurta in Savar.

Bazlur Rashid, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Bhakurta union in Savar, said excessive use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides in vegetable farming raises health risks and pollutes soil, water and air while harming biodiversity.

He said the DAE is encouraging farmers across the country to use organic fertiliser in vegetable farming and pheromone traps, sticky traps and similar methods for pest control. Because farmers have little chance to take part in market management, they are deprived of fair prices, and initiatives like the farmers' market will benefit them.

Joynal Abedin, national project coordinator of FAO's Dhaka Food System project, said FAO works worldwide to ensure safe food and food security. "Under the Dhaka Food System project we have taken the initiative to set up neighbourhood farmers' markets," he said.

Hasibur Rahman Manik, councillor of DSCC ward 26, said getting safe food is a big challenge for us, and the farmers' market will make an effective contribution to meeting it. He said the councillor's office, under the leadership of Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, will help run the market smoothly and ensure farmers do not face any unsafe situation from local hawkers or shopkeepers.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.