DHAKA, May 26, 2024 (BSS) - Ayesha Khatun relied on agriculture in her tough times as success was caught up in her hands. Agriculture was a key driver in poverty reduction of indomitable Ayesha at the time of her helplessness after her husband died losing a leg in a tragic road accident in 2016.

Her husband was a day labourer. He was the only earning person as the couple used to live at a village in Sadar upazila of Narshingdi.

After her husband's death, Ayesha was locked into a deep crisis to run her six-member family. But, in shortest possible time, she rebounded. She started dreaming again that lead her to decide to do something on her own land in char.

In the beginning, she planted seeds of sweet potato and some vegetables on only 3 kathas of char land. First time, she earned about Taka 17,000 by selling potato and vegetables. Later, she cultivated groundnut along with potato and vegetables on her land.
 
Not only Aysha, but also thousands of extremely poor people living at 12 remote char unions of Sadar and Raipura upazilas of the district have successfully defeated poverty by various income-generating activities.
 
Locals said most of the people here have achieved success through farming of groundnut, sweet potato and various vegetables on the vast tracts of sandy barren char land in Meghna and Arial kha river basins.
 
A number of poor people living in the char villages of the district have also become self-reliant through rearing of livestock on char land, fish farming and duck rearing in the rivers, they said.
 
The local agricultural extension department provided training to the farmers of char villages on groundnut, sweet potato and various vegetables cultivation.

The DAE also provided them with seeds and pesticides free of cost. Currently, the lives of the char villagers are totally changed. They have now hygienic sanitation and access to pure drinking water with reducing malnutrition of their children, women and pregnant women.
 
Aysha said, "We are happy now. My three children are now going to schools. Many women of the area have become successful through farming in char land."

She said the DAE is also providing necessary advices, seeds and pesticides free of cost as they are also visiting the char area regularly.
 
DAE Deputy Director Lotafat Hossain said farmers of the locality could bring revolutionary changes in their life after getting trainings as well as assistance from them.