NILPHAMARI, May 14, 2025 (BSS) - Experts in a training program have stressed the need to popularise the mechanized direct-seeded rice (DSR) technology among farmers to enhance rice production at reduced cost and braving the adverse effects of climate change.

They viewed this in the hands-on training on 'Power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) for local service providers (LSPs)' to empower them through training on mechanized DSR for precision sowing at village Melabor in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari on Tuesday.

 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)-Bangladesh organized the event in collaboration with the Farm Machinery Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute with the assistance of the Department of Agricultural Extension.

 The event was arranged to educate LSPs on operating PTOS machines under the Sustainable Farming Science Program (SFP) of Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) to meet the increasing demand for climate-smart and resource-efficient agricultural practices.

 Fifteen LSPs from Rangpur, Nilphamari, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon districts under the SFP in IRRI and the Food and Agriculture Organization mechanization project participated in the program.

 Specialist in agri-food systems at IRRI Bangladesh Rangpur Hub Md Abu Abdullah Miajy, discussed the importance of direct-seeded rice with appropriate rice varieties in DSR technology.

 The training aimed to address the significant gap in the adoption of mechanized DSR by equipping rural youth and service providers with the technical skills necessary to operate two-wheel PTOS machines.

 "The trained young LSPs will provide services to farmers in their communities as skilled PTOS operators on precision seeding to expand DSR technology as local entrepreneurs," he said.

 He also added that approximately 200 acres of land will be covered under DSR in upcoming Aman-2025 season in Nilphamari.

Post-doctoral fellow in agri-food systems at IRRI, Dr. Sharif Ahmed, said DSR is a transformative technology that reduces labor, irrigation water and energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional transplanted rice practice.

With climate change exacerbating water scarcity and labor shortages, mechanized DSR offers a viable solution for farmers in northern Bangladesh, where erratic rainfall and rising costs threaten rice production.
 
"In the last Aman season, we implemented mechanized DSR on 20 acres of land in Nilphamari, yielding excellent results, further inspiring farmers," he said.

IRRI Bangladesh Country Representative and Country lead of the SFP in Bangladesh, Dr. Humnath Bhandari, said the SFP is committed to sustainably increasing farm production, productivity, and profitability of nutritious food despite the adverse effects of climate change.