Md Mehedi Hasan Madhu has caused a stir in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat by growing "floating" gourds and vegetables in sacks raised above the water of his fish project. He hopes this unusual method will bring him extra income.

Md Mehedi Hasan Madhu is the son of Osman Gani of Shrutidhar village in Bhotmari union of Kaliganj upazila. He finished his master's degree last year. Instead of chasing a job, he built a fish enclosure on 70 decimals of land and began farming fish using modern methods. On the advice of the agriculture department, he also started growing various vegetables around the fish project and Thai variety gourds in sacks on soil raised above the water. People come from various areas to see his floating gourd cultivation.

He spent Tk 25,000 on fish farming in the abandoned 70-decimal pond at his home and on growing gourds above the water. He now sells 100 to 150 gourds a week, with a current wholesale price of Tk 30 to Tk 40 each depending on size. Wholesalers from vegetable markets come to his home to collect the gourds and other vegetables, and even take them to market to sell.

"I first saw gourd growing on raised soil above pond water, alongside fish farming, on YouTube and started it. Using modern methods, gourds and other vegetables have given a bumper yield. I am selling Tk 4,000 to Tk 5,000 worth of gourds every week," farmer Mehedi Hasan Madhu said.

He hopes to sell about Tk 1 lakh 50 thousand worth of gourds from the plants. Many people are being inspired by the success of his gourd farming, and the method is becoming more popular day by day.

Md Faridul Islam, sub-assistant agriculture officer in charge of Bhotmari union, said: "Growing gourds and vegetables with the help of sacks on soil raised in the middle of a pond is a first for the district. Gourds have given a bumper yield above the water, and the farmer is becoming self-reliant. We are constantly encouraging farmers to grow several crops on the same land using modern methods."

Kaliganj upazila agriculture officer Tushar Kanti Roy told Jago News: "Mehedi started farming fish and vegetables together in an abandoned water body. Our agriculture officers have been advising him. Mehedi Hasan Madhu is profiting by farming vegetables and fish together."

Dr Md Saikhul Arifin, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Lalmonirhat, told Jago News: "There is no floating project in the district. But if anyone sets up such a project on a closed water body on their own initiative, they will profit."

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