3. Beej Bari (Seed Home)
Rasel Mia, AVAS, Kalapara, Patuakhali
Earlier, the farmers of Patuakhali would collect seeds from their own
agricultural land for cultivation and did their agricultural works with this. But
now, they have to depend on the seeds of several companies as well as
unripe seeds of small seed dealers. As a result, their cost in cultivation
increases to a great extent. Morevoer, cultivable lands are gradually losing
fertility due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides. They are also facing
the problem of salinity intrusion, which affects their cultivation. Poor
management of sluice gates in the rainy season is the main cause of it. For the
insufficiency of saline tolerant seeds, the farmers can’t make proper use of
land. Given all the problems and community needs, shaping a seed home
comes out through the discussion among the members of self-help groups
and their federations, Krishok Maitree (farmers’ alliances) and Gono
Gobeshona Dols (people’s research group). This activity includes selecting a
place for seed home, lifting houses and collecting materials, organising
training on seeds collection, processing and marketing, promoting seeds
using poster and leaflet, collecting seeds and processing from good crops
etc. With the help of this initiative, the farmers are getting benefitted. With
the increased local seeds collection and preservation, the farmers can now
avail seeds as per their needs in time. Women farmers can produce
vegetables in their homesteads.
Education
1. Multimedia Classrooms and Smart Schools: Bangladesh
Perspective
Khan Md. Mainul Hoque, Training Specialist, National Academy for
Educational Management (NAEM)
Smart school with multimedia classroom can play a vital role for ensuring
effective teaching learning. It is an approach of expansion of knowledge
shifting towards a knowledge based society. Improving the quality of
teaching learning environment to cope with the global world is major agenda
of Bangladesh. Multimedia classroom and Smart school concept is an
inevitable part for ensuring quality education and ensures congenial
teaching learning environment. It helps the student to develop themselves
as a global citizen. The school level is very important because at this level the
foundation for future life is built. Bangladesh is known for its rural society. A
good number of first generation learners from disadvantaged families are
living in the rural area. Their dreams fully depend on effective teaching
28 4th National Knowledge Convention