Farmers Dalim Sheikh and Laden Sheikh from Gobindanagar village in Kalia Upazila, Narail have earned an extra profit of 1.5 lakh Taka by growing off-season watermelons on the embankments of their fish enclosures land that previously sat unused.
Under the "Partner Field School" program farmers followed Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and planted 500 watermelon seedlings across one acre of embankment land. They focused on proper irrigation, organic fertilizer use and pest control throughout the growing period, ensuring both quality and yield. After harvesting and selling the watermelons, they earned a net profit of around 1.5 lakh Taka after covering production costs.
"The embankment land had never been used this way before. We're encouraged by the good yield and profit," said Dalim Sheikh. Laden Sheikh added that guidance from the Partner Field School program on GAP methods helped them care for the crop effectively and they satisfied with the results.
Local resident Mithun Das said such embankment land often goes unused, and cultivating watermelons or vegetables there can create multiple income streams from the same plot. He noted that the success has already inspired other farmers in the area to consider similar ventures.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Jahangir Alam said this kind of agricultural diversification growing high-value crops like watermelon on fish enclosure embankments can significantly boost farmers' incomes. He added that the Department of Agriculture will continue supporting farmers with technical advice to make such initiatives even more profitable.
