RN Desk: Under the “Family Nutrition Garden Project” aimed at utilizing uncultivated and fallow lands, Md. Faruk Alam Khan has successfully cultivated taro vegetables on waterlogged land in Tilok, Barishal Sadar Upazila. For the first time, he has cultivated taro on approximately 30 decimals of his land.

With the assistance of the Upazila Agriculture Office, he initially cultivated BARI Latiraj Taro-1 on 10 decimals of land. Encouraged by the results, he expanded his cultivation, growing BARI Latiraj Taro-1, Newton Taro, and Bombay Latiraj Taro on an additional 17 decimals of land. Md. Faruk Alam Khan is highly optimistic about earning more profit from taro cultivation compared to other crops. He has already started selling the stems (loti) and noted that the land, which previously remained fallow, is now being used productively with the help of the Upazila Agriculture Office.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Uttam Bhowmik stated, “We are working tirelessly to ensure that no land in Barishal Sadar Upazila remains uncultivated. We have successfully grown Latiraj Taro on a waterlogged fallow land in the Tilok block, and farmers are benefiting from it.”

Agriculture Extension Officer Md. Rasel-Monir added, “Taro is a highly nutritious vegetable, rich in Vitamin A and iron. We are encouraging farmers to cultivate taro. Our Assistant Agriculture Officer, Md. Alimur Razi, is providing constant support and guidance. We hope that, seeing the success of this cultivation, more people in the area will start growing taro, leading to an increase in its production in this region.”