Khulna: Reena Begum, a 45-year-old housewife from Senhati village in Dighalia upazila, has transformed her life by cultivating ginger in sacks, earning over Tk 2 lakh in a year from just 12 decimals of land. Her innovative approach has set an example for others in the region.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Reena has been cultivating ginger in approximately 70 sacks during the ongoing Robi crop season. Besides ginger, she grows various vegetables on her land, maximizing the use of her resources. She explained that the cost of growing ginger is Tk 45-50 per kg, and she sells it at Tk 140-150 per kg, highlighting the profitability of her venture. Reena’s journey to self-reliance began three years ago when her family faced financial difficulties, prompting her to start cultivating vegetables and eventually achieving success with sack-based ginger farming.
The sack method of ginger cultivation has gained traction among farmers in Dighalia upazila, including women like Mita Begum, who noted the benefits of economic self-reliance for women. The method is popular due to its low cost, high profitability, minimal labor requirements, and ease of maintenance. Farmers are using fallow and uncultivated land, placing sacks in courtyards or beside their homes, with each bag containing 7-8 kg of soil enriched with organic fertilizers. This approach is yielding promising results with proper care and timely watering.
Sagar Sarkar, the Upazila Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer, encouraged farmers in Senhati to adopt this method, resulting in several farmers, including Reena, Mita, Robiul, and Fatema, actively engaging in sack-based ginger cultivation. Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Kishore Ahmed supports this initiative, providing training and technical assistance to farmers. The method is considered a timely and profitable way to utilize uncultivated land and can be practiced on a small scale around households.
According to Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ariful Islam, sack-based ginger cultivation has become increasingly popular in Dighalia. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reports that 69,935 sacks have been used for ginger cultivation, covering 131.4 hectares in the Khulna agricultural zone. The DAE is expanding this method to increase ginger production in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Narail districts, with Additional Director Md Rafiqul Islam highlighting its potential to meet family needs and provide economic benefits to farmers.