Instead of relying on a single crop each year, farmers are showing growing interest in integrated farming, which lets them earn all year round and get separate prices for different fruits and crops. In Naogaon, a variety of fruits and crops can now be seen throughout the year.

Abdur Rouf is a farmer from Khojagari village in Paharpur union of Badalgachhi upazila in the district. After passing his secondary school exams he left his studies and turned to farming, starting on a small plot of his father's land where he grew paddy, jute and vegetables.

For the past three years, on the advice of the agriculture office, he has been running an integrated farm on four bighas. His orchard has around eight to ten kinds of fruit trees, including Taiwanese and other mango varieties, guava, jujube (boroi), orange and malta. He has already profited from his jujube harvest.

This year he grew a new crop, chia seed. The upazila office of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority encouraged him to grow a high-yielding chia variety. They contacted him themselves and gave him all-round support.

"Three years ago I set up an integrated project on four bighas. Before that I grew paddy, jute and vegetables. The upazila Barind Multipurpose Development Authority contacted me and gave me 500 grams of seed, which I sowed on one bigha. It can be grown in the same season as mustard. The cost is about Tk 15,000–20,000 a bigha. We were told the yield would be about 100 kg, but even 80 kg would bring a profit," Abdur Rouf said.

"Threshing is a bit troublesome. It has to be dried in the sun and threshed by hand. If a machine is used, the seed will blow away in the wind. It sells for Tk 1,000 a kg in the market, so 80 kg would be worth Tk 80,000. After costs, Tk 60,000 will be left. It is good for health. If there are no problems, especially with marketing, I will grow it on more land next year," he said.

"The aim of an integrated orchard is to have every kind of fruit and crop in one place, meet the family's nutrition needs and sell the rest. It brings a good price and a profit. Many people will be inspired by seeing me," he added.

Nizamul, a farmer in Khojagari village, said: "This is a new crop in our area and our upazila. Until it is marketed we can't say how profitable it is. If marketing goes well, we will be interested in growing it. If we grow it and can't sell it, we will make a loss. If the agriculture office works on this, it will help farmers too."

Farmer Shahjahan Ali said: "Abdur Rouf is my neighbour. He has set up an integrated orchard and grown chia seed there. I had never heard of it before. Even if the cost is higher, that is no problem, as long as the price is better than other crops and it brings a profit. Then I will be interested in growing it in future. After this, boro paddy will be grown again."

Badalgachhi Upazila Agriculture Officer Sabab Farhan said: "Rouf has built the integrated orchard on his own initiative, growing chia seed alongside other fruits and crops. Chia seed is a profitable crop; it can bring a profit of more than Tk 50,000 a bigha. If he keeps up this work, he will become known as a model farmer. Anyone who wants to grow it will get support and advice from the agriculture office."

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