Photo : Collected

DHAKA, May 29, 2025 (BSS) - Women in disaster-prone Khulna are changing their fate through various initiatives. Promila is one of them. The self-reliant woman has a duck farm at Garkhali Satyapir village in Tildanga union under Dacope upazila of Khulna. But natural calamities including cyclones and floods damage her duck farm every year and she loose capital.   
 
Promia’s husband Rahul is a day labourer. He said their house is affected by erosion of the Shibsha River every year. Despite this adverse situation, Promila has become successful by the cooperation from the government, he added. 
 
Expressing her satisfaction, Promila said, "We have been affected every year due to natural calamities. Saline water enters our agricultural land and duck farm. Every year many ducks die due to saline water. Many times, we have lost capital. But we don't give up hope and became successful. We are financially solvent now. We are maintaining our family happily". 
 
Many women in Dacope upazila are cultivating paddy under a 'joint cultivation system'. Most of them got success in paddy cultivation and became self-reliant. Jobeda Akter is one of the joint paddy farmers. She said in the beginning, she didn't think that joint paddy cultivation would change her fate. But within three years, Jobeda earned a good money by cultivating paddy jointly. 
 
“I and my husband along with two children work in our paddy field. Joint paddy farming is an excellent system as some of women work jointly and earn together. Not only me, but all of my partners are now earning enough to maintain a livelihood. Thanks to the Department of Agricultural Extension.” 
 
Another paddy farmer Chitrali Das said she cultivates paddy under joint management and earns enough to run her family. Her husband Rakhal Das also helps her work. Flood and cyclone often affect their paddy but various government assistance after the disaster helped her to recover the loss. Chitrali Das claimed that paddy farming has changed the fate of hundreds of women in the upazila.    
  
Sunflower cultivation has become popular among the women cultivators in Dacope. Many women in the upazila are choosing sunflower cultivation as it is very profitable. Moli Begum of Garkhali Satyapir village cultivates sunflowers and established herself as a successful farmer. The widow runs her four-member family by cultivating sunflowers. 
 
Moli said, "I have lost my husband 11 years ago. My three children are students. They also help me cultivate sunflowers. I have no allegations with life as I have been maintaining a happy life without seeking help from anyone. All credit goes to sunflower cultivation."  
 
Dacope Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Asmot Hossain said it is very good news that women in the upazila have engaged themselves in various economic activities. All kinds of cooperation from the administration are being provided to these women entrepreneurs.  
 
Upazila agriculture office has been asked to give necessary cooperation to women farmers, he said.