Proud to be a Farmer
Rajib, a young farmer in Bangladesh, says, “I used to think that only poor people became farmers, but now I see agriculture as a noble profession. It is a source of income, nutrition, and food security. I’m proud to be a farmer.”
Until the program’s local partner SATHI offered agricultural training to this subsistence farmer, he’d been using techniques he’d learned as a child. When his father died, he’d had to quit school and take over the responsibility of their family farm. Because his father grew only rice, that’s what Rajib did as well. But, he said, “SATHI taught me rice alone cannot meet all the nutritional needs of our body.”
He joined a farmers group and learned about growing vegetables in kitchen gardens, fertilizing with organic compost, and managing pests with environmentally-friendly farming methods. The farmers group also functioned as a savings and lending group, and Rajib began saving regularly. He was able to take a small loan from the group to buy a variety of seeds. SATHI staff and other skilled farmers were there to support and guide him in his new venture. He was amazed at the quantity and quality of all he was able to harvest — spinach, red amaranth, long bean, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, cucumber, tomato and sweet gourd. More than enough to feed his family and earn a small income.
Encouraged by his success, Rajib recently took a poultry-rearing workshop from SATHI which motivated him to purchase 10 chickens. He is now waiting for them to lay eggs and supply meat for his family.
Caption: Red amaranth growing in Rajib’s kitchen garden
Bangladesh Kendua Programs
Led by World Renew and Local Partner SATHI
Photo and storyline credit: Lipy Dhoni