Flag-ribbon method to save vegetables
A vegetable farmer in Kurigram Sadar upazila has been successful in reducing labour cost by applying flag-ribbon system in his crop field.
Farmer Habibur Rahman, 50, son of Abdur Rahman of Hariram village in Belgachha union under the upazila, invented the system, which uses polythene, rejected ribbons of tape recorders and bamboo sticks.
Habibur cultivates different vegetables in char areas of the upazila by leasing land every year. He found that flocks of little birds (bulbuli) would eat his brinjals. As a result, he could not make a profit from brinjal cultivation.
He employed labourers to chase away the little birds, spending a lot of money for labour payments. At one point he observed that the birds flew away when they heard sounds. This observation led him to devise the system.
He leased land for four months at Bhogdanga union in September last year and planted brinjal plants in 30 decimals of land.
He bought white polythene paper and made triangular pieces with it. He then stuck bamboo sticks in the brinjal field and tied the polythene pieces on top of the bamboo sticks. Then he tied the rejected tape-ribbons from stick to stick.
The polythene pieces flap on the bamboo sticks and the ribbons create a sound when the air blows over them, scaring away the birds from the field.
Labourer Abdul Jalil, 35, of Majherchar village said, “I was employed last year for chasing birds from the brinjal fields by beating a tin drum. But no labour is needed this year due to the flag-ribbon system.”
Farmer Habibur Rahman said, “I spent a lot of money chasing bulbulis from the brinjal fields, and could not make a profit. This year I have not spent any money for that purpose.”
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