Rooftop farming can offer heavenly happiness even amid depression and physical disability. Rahela Halim's 16-year-old rooftop farm in Lalmatia, in the capital, shows this.

The farm on the 2,500 square foot roof of a three-storey building is 16 years old. The neatness of this garden of vegetables, flowers and fruit shows how deeply the owner cares, and its plants constantly give her new ideas.

Rahela Halim said she has to look after the plants like her children: they want care every day, and without it they dry up and die. When she feels low, she asks her children to take her up to the roof and leave her there. She always raises small plants herself, because bringing in large ones does not satisfy her.

There are problems, including pests and diseases, and her own trials play an important role in dealing with them. Her roof garden has everything from mango trees to wax apple, as well as seasonal vegetables such as tomato and aubergine. She uses neem leaf juice to protect plants from disease and sometimes sprays garlic and onion juice.

Rahela Halim is one of the people constantly helping to keep Dhaka liveable.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Chhad Krishi. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.