Local farmers in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha, have caused a stir by growing winter vegetables on the divider of the Dhaka-Rangpur highway. A vegetable garden has been laid out in the middle of the highway along about 4 km of the upazila, with beans, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, onion, papaya, radish, spinach, red amaranth, coriander leaves and chillies among the crops.

Locals began this unusual cultivation with help from the agriculture department and free seed. The soil is fertile, and good yields have raised farmers' incomes. Ordinary people are getting fresh vegetables. Beyond the green beauty, the vegetables are earning money and have created extra work for local people.

On the ground, a wide range of vegetables can be seen along about 4 km of the highway in the upazila, grown by local residents. The colourful greens and vegetables have added to the beauty of the highway.

Residents and passers-by said that because the top of the divider was empty, some enthusiastic people began growing a variety of greens and vegetables there. This meets their families' food needs and some produce is also sold. The road island used to be full of rubbish; now it is full of colourful vegetables and looks much better.

Farmer Amirul Islam of Chandipur village in Talukkanupur union has grown vegetables there. "Quite a few stretches of the Dhaka-Rangpur highway road divider were lying unused. I have grown bottle gourd leaves, spinach, red amaranth and other vegetables there. With help from the agriculture department the yield has been good. After meeting our own needs we are sharing with neighbours and selling too," he said.

Farmer Shamim Mia said: "For a long time I saw that the spaces in the middle of the road were lying idle. Nothing was planted there and it had become dirty. We cleaned them and this year grew beans, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, chillies and many other vegetables, meeting our families' needs. We have sold at market too, and the neighbours are eating them."

Driver Md Raju Ahmed said: "I drive a truck on this road. When I reach this part of Gobindaganj, I feel good. It is nice to see the greenery in the middle of the road."

Bilas Kumar Bhattacharya, sub-assistant agriculture officer at the Gobindaganj Upazila Agriculture Extension Office, said: "Seeing farmers' interest in growing vegetables on the unused highway divider, the upazila agriculture extension office is giving advice and technical support. An initiative like this is undoubtedly praiseworthy."

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