In villages and town neighbourhoods of Joypurhat, farmers and hobby growers are raising winter vegetables without pesticides in yards and on fallow plots, feeding their families and selling the surplus.
Homestead farmingLutfur Rahman of Sundarganj in Gaibandha grows ginger in about 1,200 sacks with bottle gourd on a trellis above and greens, carrot, aubergine and papaya around it, a mix he planned on the agriculture office's advice.
Yellow and blue sticky traps are a non-toxic way to control aphids, whiteflies and sucking pests; agriculture workers put their cost at Tk 7,000-8,000 a hectare against Tk 30,000-40,000 for pesticide.
CropsIn November 2024 farmers in several villages of Ujangram union, Kushtia Sadar, were growing about 15 kinds of vegetables on some 100 acres without chemical pesticides, using integrated pest management. They said bio-pesticides and sex pheromone traps had cut their costs.
