Dr. Jagot Chand Malaker: Farmers of Bangladesh generally practice subsistence farming (now a day’s transforming commercial farming and mechanization) where they need to produce a continuous, reliable and balanced supply of nutritious foods, as well as cash for basic needs and recurrent farm expenditure. Therefore, there is a need to develop suitable integrated farm management systems for such farmers since single crop production enterprises are subject to a high degree of risk and uncertainty because of seasonal, irregular and uncertain income and employment to the farmers. Integrated Farm Management (IFM) can eradicate all these constraints by not only solving most of the existing economic and even ecological problems, but also provide other household needs like fuel, fertilizer and nutritious food, besides increasing productivity of the farm manifold. It will ensure food security through ensuring availability of food, access to food and equal distribution of nutritious food to all members of the family.
Integrated Farm Management:
A farm is a field of production spread over a farmer’s fields and dwellings. That is, the farm is where any production takes place. Combination of all the advanced technologies of single component of the farm with the use of by-products of one component of another component of the farm. Achieving desired yield through optimum use of resources through integration of improved technology across farm components (rice cultivation, homestead fruit and vegetable cultivation, poultry/chicken rearing, cattle rearing, goat/sheep rearing, fish farming and off farm activities) and considering their inter-relationships.
Importance of Integrated Farm Management
Through integrated farm management, the farmer identifies all the resources of his farm and makes the best use of the resources. It can increase the total production of the farm and make more profit. To solve the problem of the farm, you will see what the farm has its own resources. That is, all the by-products of the farm are used very effectively in the production system of the other component. The farmer will use the by-products of the material such as cow dung, straw, ash, chicken droppings, broken rice etc. and see if there is an opportunity to add any new material to the farm and if necessary buy it from the market and use it to increase the total production of the farm and get more profit. If we give an example, the matter will be clearer like using cow dung, hay, ash; chicken droppings etc. in rice production will ensure more production than using different chemical fertilizers from the market. That is, along with rice production, the by-products of poultry farming, cow farming, and goat/sheep farming are used. Again, rice straw, etc. are used in poultry farming, cow farming, and goat/sheep farming. If we give another example, the matter will be more clear, such as homestead bamboo is being used in paddy cultivation, rabi crop cultivation, homestead fruit and vegetable cultivation, poultry farming, cattle rearing, goat/sheep rearing and fish farming etc. i.e. forming an interrelationship with the production of various productive factors and their by-products. Aggregate production should be increased by strengthening the existing linkages. That is, improving the management of all components of the farm (rice cultivation, homestead fruit and vegetable cultivation, poultry/chicken rearing, cow rearing, goat/sheep rearing and fish farming). Integrated farm management is more profitable by increasing the total production of the farm. Integrated Farm Management will ensure women empowerment, employment opportunity and also ensure livelihood development of farm house hold.
Bangabandhu’s Agriculture
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman realized that the development of agriculture is the economic liberation of the farmer. That is why he called for green revolution after independence. He dreamt of Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty. The father of the nation said about the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in food, one should not depend on others for food. We have to produce our own food. Why should we beg for food from others? By combining our fertile land, our inexhaustible natural resources, our industrious people, our research and extension work, we will achieve food self-sufficiency. It’s just a matter of time.
Over time, the country is self-sufficient in food under the visionary Leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter, Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh ranks in the world, 3rd in rice production, 3rd in vegetable production, 7th in mango production, 8th in potato and guava production. Arable land has decreased, population has doubled but food production has increased almost 4 times.
But if Integrated Farm Management cannot be developed then our agricultural development will be hampered, we will not be able to ensure our desired production. We will fall far behind. If we advance through cooperative society, our agricultural production and overall development will get both dimensions. We all need to give utmost importance to integrated farming system for more crop production. Crops in the field, livestock, fish and environment will be harmoniously coordinated. Otherwise we will not be able to progress as desired.
Bangabandhu said on February 13, 1973 at the convocation ceremony of Bangladesh Agricultural University, food does not mean only rice, flour and corn but also fish, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables. Therefore, to improve agriculture, the production of these food grains must be improved. Bangabandhu thought that food is needed first. All development activities will fail if food is not guaranteed. So we have to produce our own food by adopting Integrated Farm Management to ensure food security.
Conclusion
Agriculture is still the major sector providing employment in Bangladesh. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty. In his dream of Golden Bengal, he wanted to see the all-round development and self-reliance of the country’s agriculture and farmers.
To solve the problem of the farm, you will see what the farm has its own resources. Farmers will use the by-products of farm materials like cow dung, straw, ash, chicken droppings, broken rice etc. and see if there is an opportunity to add any new material to the farm and use it to increase the total production of the farm and get more profit. That is, an interrelationship with the production of the various productive elements of the farm and their by-products.
I believe that if the concept of co-operative agricultural farm for the sake of the father of the nartion Bangabandhu’s green revolution can be done in every farmer’s house in an inclusive manner, it will be a great opportunity to ensure safe food and nutritional security of the country. Improved management of all components of the farm (rice cultivation, rabi crop cultivation, homestead fruit and vegetable cultivation, poultry farming, cattle rearing, goat/sheep rearing and fish farming), ensuring optimum utilization of resources and total farm production will increase. IFM will increase profitability and contribute to year-round safe food and nutrition security for every farm households. The goals of the Zero Hunger initiative are to end hunger and make sure that enough nutritious foods are available to people. So, if Integrated Farm Management can be done at every farmer’s house, zero hunger, safe food and nutritional security of the country will be ensured.
Writter: Dr. Jagot Chand Malaker, Former Additional Director, Department of Agricultural Extension, Khamarbari, Dhaka -1215.
