| Project Title: | Grasroots Initiatives against the MNC’s agro-chemical Intervention in Agriculture. |
| Project Duration: | From August to February 2007 |
| Project Area: | Bajua and Laudob Unions under Dacope Upazila of Khulna district of southwest Bangladesh. |
| Stakeholders of the action research Project. | The direct Stakeholders: 12 groups of farmers (6 male and 6 female) from the two Unions, making a total of 144 individuals and Union Parishads (28 persons) Total 172 |
Short description of Project:
Chemical Fertilizers, Pesticides, Seeds, Water Management and Land Reform are the main issues that have been confronted by the farmers of southwest Bangladesh. With the passage of time, the farmers have moved on from cultivating local varieties of corps as they are being motivated to cultivate hybrid and high-yielding seeds for producing more crops on less area. These hybrid and high-yielding species of corps are not immune against local pests and diseases. Local distributors of MNC’s chemical pesticide use this shortcoming to persuade the farmers to use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides for more crops and immunization against pests and diseases. Being lack adequate knowledge and information about the terrible consequences of using excessive chemicals on land they use more and more chemicals in their field without proper instruction. Gradually, the effectiveness of the chemicals decrease and the farmers have to use higher and higher quantities and dosages of the chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides and other toxic chemicals without any further gain. On the other hand, the poisonous pesticides killed insects both good and bad, birds and fishes, and in this manner degraded the ecology and environment of the region.
Objectives of the action research:
Analyze and understand the impact of the interventions of agro-chemicals of MNCs in the agriculture sector of Dacope Upazila and utilization process and quantity and how to measure actual needs. And way-out how to possible to reduce or optimum use of agro-chemicals in a participatory manner.
Key Activities:
Primary and secondary information collection of agro-chemicals and its producer, marketing process. Meeting
with trade bodies (agro-chemical producers, sellers etc.), Develop awareness materials and publish and awareness campaign and capacity development, Linkage with Union Parishad, Department of Agriculture and relevant government officials, conduct social audit
Achievements:
Developed a review report based on available information. Developed and distributed awareness materials, farmers and community people become aware on adverse impact of using excessive agro-chemicals, trained farmers on optimum usage of chemicals. 40% of total cost on agro-chemicals has been reduced through examining the soil, water quality and crop variety selection. Besides, the farmers will be benefited by the reduced use of agrochemicals and the presence of chemicals in the food chain will also be reduced.
