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e-Krishok Campaign: Promoting ICT usage in Rural Bangladesh—Shubhash’s Story
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Shubash Kumar, looking out onto his betel leaf plantation, has the smile of a relieved man. Recently he faced a serious disease which had threatened his entire plantation. But thanks to e-Krishok, Shubash was able to save his plantation.
Shubash comes from a family of farmers. He grew up with the land in his veins; like the rest of his four brothers, Shubash knows only farming. For all his 28 years, it was his destiny to become a farmer. He and his brothers farm their plot of 2.5 acres of land. They farm a variety of crops throughout the year—paddy, aubergines, a variety of gourds, spinach, tomatoes, green pepper, sweet pumpkin, and their biggest cash crop betel leaves.
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Shubash says that the betel leaf crop is so important to them, that if anything happens to this crop, it is like a slow death to the entire family. He worries all the time over his betel plantation. From an investment of 6 to 7 thousand, his family can earn up to 50 thousand on betel leaves alone.
As farmers, Shubash and his family is in the hands of Nature. He is in the receiving end of things that he has absolutely no control over. These days, along with the changing and uncertain environment, Shubash and other farmers have to face problems that they did not have to face before. The old remedies no longer work; the elderly farmers are not able to help. Recently, Shubash faced such a dire situation.
His betel leaf plantation was attacked by a disease which caused the stems of the plants to rot away. He did not know what was causing this disease. All that he wanted was to solve the situation. Some elderly farmers told him to spray lime (Calcium Oxide) on his betel plants. He did as he was informed; however, this made the situation worse. Now the leaves started to fall off from the plants.
When Shubash was able to see the Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer, the Officer advised his to use a medicine, which was unfortunately not available in the local market. Shubash was nearly at his wits end. He had to save his plantation, but no one was able to provide him with reliable or useful information. It was at this time that Ms. Munni, the Brand Promoter of e-Krishok heard of Shubash’s situation. She advised Shubash to go to the Community Information Center, and there he could get reliable information and advice. She went along with Shubash to reassure him that it was not a trick. At the CIC, Shubash was advised to apply a medicine, which would stop the rotting and help new leaves to grow on the stems of the plants.
After applying the medication, the rotting went away after a week, and new leaves have sprouted from the stems of the betel plants. Shubash is grateful to the CIC for providing a solution to his problem and says that in the future he will go to the CIC first whenever he has agricultural problems.
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