Md Alam is a farmer from Dhanpur in Muktarpur union of Kaliganj upazila, Gazipur. Growing BRRI dhan92, he harvested one maund of paddy per decimal, something he had not managed in 60 years of growing many different varieties. Bangabandhu dhan100, BRRI dhan89 and BRRI dhan92 produce fine-grained rice. These varieties need less water, need hardly any pesticide and give much higher yields. This year he got a bumper crop from them.

Farmers said this on Monday afternoon at a harvest and field day for the new BRRI-developed varieties BRRI dhan89, BRRI dhan92 and Bangabandhu dhan100, organised by BRRI's Rice Farming Systems Division in Jamalpur union of Kaliganj upazila. BRRI Director General Md Shahjahan Kabir and BRRI scientists were present.

BRRI Director General Md Shahjahan Kabir later said that farmers growing Bangabandhu dhan100, developed by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), are getting one and a half times the yield of many earlier varieties. Farmers have harvested nearly one maund of paddy per decimal, and yields of BRRI dhan89 and BRRI dhan92 are about the same.

Farmers have had unprecedented yields from the three new varieties: 33 maunds from 33 decimals, or one maund per decimal.

In the afternoon, BRRI scientists met local farmers at a views-exchange meeting in Dhanpur, where the farmers described their experience of getting bigger harvests from the three varieties.

The farmers' rally was chaired by Md Ibrahim, head of the Rice Farming Systems Division. Besides the BRRI director general, speakers included BRRI Director (Administration) Md Abdul Latif, BRRI Scientists' Association President Dr Amina Khatun, Kaliganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Farzana Taslim, and senior scientists of BRRI's Rice Farming Systems Division Dr Khairul Kayes, ABM Jamiul Islam and Bir Jahangir Siraji.

BRRI Director (Administration) Dr Md Abdul Latif said: "The yields of the new varieties developed by the rice research institute are much higher than those of the earlier popular varieties BRRI dhan28 and dhan29. With good care, it is possible to get nearly one and a half times the yield of many other varieties."

BRRI Director General Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir said: "These new varieties give higher yields, ripen in less time and suffer less from disease. So farmers are drawn to them and are making good profits. They yield 30–32 maunds a bigha, where other varieties give around 20 maunds. Every year 20–22 lakh people are added to our population. To guarantee food in this country of 17 crore people, the new BRRI varieties must be grown. There is no alternative."

Local farmer Altaf Hossain said: "I used to live abroad and didn't farm. I thought farming was unprofitable. But BRRI dhan89, BRRI dhan92 and Bangabandhu dhan100 have changed my mind. I have decided: no more going abroad; I will farm here at home and grow the new varieties. Farming is now more profitable than before."

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