RDA Demonstration Farm
i) Conducting adaptive and demonstration trials on the farm and dissemination of improved agro-technologies to the farming community;
ii) Holding practical sessions of the broad agro-based skill development training courses of the Academy; and
iii) Producing quality seeds of conventional as well as high valued alternative crops to aid Governments seed multiplication in development. Seed programmes for agricultural development.
The demonstration farm measures about 79.0 acres of which 65.0 acres are under action research. The rest of the land covers the farm compound, connecting road and other infrastructure. Currently, the farm has 7 agriculturally divided production Units:
A Farm Development Committee chaired by the Director General of the Academy runs the Demonstration Farm. All faculty members of the Division of Agricultural Sciences are members of this Committee. Its entire program from planning to implementation are materialised under the overall guidance of the Director of Agriculture Science. The immediate next implementer of the planned activities is the Farm Manager who acts under overall guidance and care of the Farm In-Charge. The Farm In-Charge is nominated and assigned for a 4-year term from among the faculty members of the Agricultural Sciences Division. Relevant faculty members render their services in crop production, soil fertility management, horticulture, vegetables gardening, dairy, poultry, fisheries, mechanization and irrigation.
The Crop Unit operates on 39.0 acres of land.
The Crop Unit experiments and produces grain crops, mainly Aman and Boro paddies as well as maize, potato and different seasonal vegetables across the year. Seeds produced of rice, maize and potato are regularly sold to BADC under its Contract Growers Program. RDA is a member of that Program and has been producing quality seeds in the quoted areas. Instead of draught power farm is facilitated with mechanical power. Academy started mechanical cultivation with high value crops and data is using as a source of extension and training information.Last year RDA farm produced more than 58 tones of Aman, 30 tones of Boro, 62 tones of pototo and 21 tones of maize seeds of hybrid and open polinated ( OP ) varietes.
In the context of Bangladesh farming system, the major two sub-sectors are crop and livestock. These two sub-sectors are closely inter related i.e. changes which occur in one sub-sector affect the other. In examining the benefits, the output of one sub-sector becomes the input of the others e.g. use of animal power for crop production is followed by the use of animal manure to improve the soil fertility by decomposition and in turn, crop by-products are mainly used as animal feed. Keeping in mind, 51 numbers of milch cows with calves, four numbers of sheds, storehouse were developed. Daily about 180 litres of milk is produced and cow dung as a by-product is used for biogas production and farm manure.
Under this unit four numbers of poultry sheds, one storehouse cum-office was developed. Among the four sheds one is assigned for brooder house and other three is earmarked for laying house. In brooder house at a time 1000-day-old chickens can be reared. At present in two other laying sheds 1200 laying hens are reared and daily on an average 1050- 1100 eggs are produced. Droppings are used for farm manure.
There are six ponds and one canal under this unit. Of these, four ponds are perennial having 2.50 acres of water area used for rearing brood fish. The rest two ponds and one canal are seasonal having 2% acres of water area used for rearing fish spawn. A fisheries hatchery was established in this unit during 2006-07 under “Expansion and Modernization of RDA Demonstration Farm Project”. Production of fish seed (spawn) was started in the hatchery from February, 05.
There are altogether 7 ponds including 2 canals. Total water area measures 6.39 acres.
A hatchery outlay was developed in the farm where fingerlings are produced from eggs of brood fishes. Brood fishes are mostly Rui, Katla, Mrigel, Pungash, Siler carp, Mirror carp, Grass carp, Thai shar puti, Bata etc. It is one of the new arena in the RDA farm. For fingerling production a deep tubewell was installed with overhead tank for regular supply of water.
A pond of 0.65 acre and a ditch of 2.50 acres around North periphery of the farm was dug for brood fish cultivation. In addition to that aerator, air blower, 02 cylinder, 02 meter, pH meter, microscope, refrigerator etc. were purchased for smooth running of the fish fry production.
The nursery unit experiments and produces seedlings/saplings of a great variety of indeneous and exotic fruit and timber species as well as ornamental plants. The nursery unit operates on 8.67 acres of lad including a germplasm repository. During the year 2007, the nursery unit more than produced 65,000 seedlings and seplings of varied species of timber and fruit trees and also offered training to 125 trainees on Horticulture nursery development technologies.
Farm Complex
Under farm modernization project a four-storied building with office, conference room, laboratory, 6-faculty rooms and one seed go down was built. To speed up and enhance the work 6 computers and one pick-up was also purchased for RDA Demonstration Farm. A refrigerated storage was also built in front of the Academy.
Rural Development Academy under its Demonstration Farm Expansion and Modernization Project has recently established a new unit “RDA Biotechnology Laboratory”. RDA biotechnology laboratory have already started potato seed multiplication activities on experimental basis. Last year 2000 plantlets were produced in the lab. From 2000 plant let 120 kg, of Breeder seeds were produced. Very soon RDA will organize “Tissue Culture Training on Potato and Orchid Seed Production”. On the basis of this experiences, RDA developed a training manual on tissue culture. In this fiscal year 2007-2008 RDA is going to organize a course on " Potato and Orchid Seed Production through tissue culture method". RDA biotechnology produced more than 40 thousand plantlets and 120 kg of tubes lets of breed quality during 2006-07.
Mushroom Production Laboratory
Very recently RDA has developed a well-organized Mushroom Production Laboratory. Within a short time this Laboratory will be running in full swing to support the mushroom farmers in the vicinity and whole Bangladesh as well. Pure culture, mother culture, and spawn packets will be produced in this laboratory. This laboratory will also produce both fresh and dry mushroom as well as mushroom by products for commercial purpose.
RDA has started training on Improved Mushroom cultivation from last year. This is an yearly training program supported by GoB fund. Last year 30 participants were trained and most of them are now engaged in mushroom cultivation.
Agricultural Machinery and Equipment unit of RDA Demonstration Farm has been set-up to increase production, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities.
The activities under this unit are as follows:
· Buried pipe irrigation system has been installed in the farm, as a result, 95% water loss has been minimized.
· Under modernization of project deep tubewells were reinstalled with submersible pumps and thus water supply was ensured with low cost.
· A number of agricultural implements like tractor, power tiller, combined harvester, potato grading machine, seed grader and driller, transplanter, weeder, thresher was purchased and agriculture-engineering workshop was built.
· Two modern biogas plants were developed under this project from where biogas is supplied to cafeteria, VIP hostel, DG’s Banglow and Faculty Quarter (D, E & F type) for cooking of about 200 people and facilities already ensured to convert gas into electric power.
· On experimental basis both sprinkler and drip irrigation systems have been developed for grass, maize and horticultural crops.
A brief description of the newly installed refrigerated storage and its equipments are presented herewith. The components are classified as:
· Food processing section
· Food preservation section
· Quality control laboratory section
· Marketing section
· Technology training section
Food Processing Section:
a) Milk Chilling and Pasteurization Plant
· Milk receiving capacity 250 litres.
· Milk cooler tank capacity 500 litres.
· Cream separator.
· Batch pasteurizer (chilling at 4ºC) capacity 250-300 litres/hr.
· Batch pasteurizer (heating at 70ºC) capacity 250-300 litres/hr.
· Milk storage tank capacity 1000 litres.
· Milk filling machine for 250, 500, 1000 ml (tetra poly pac).
b) Fruits and Vegetables Washing Plant (Conveyor type)
Under this plant, various types of fruits and vegetables will be washed by filtered water and packed for storage and marketing.
c) Broiler Dressing Plant
Under this plant, broilers both exotic and indigenous birds will be dressed by filtered water and packed for storage and marketing.
d) Water Treatment Plant
Under this plant, the fresh water will be treated and used not only in the processing unit but also preserved in plastic bottle for marketing. The capacity of the plant will be 5000 litres/hr., which include pressure filter, carbon filter, micron filter, ultra violet ray and sodium hypo chloride dosing component.
e) Meat and Fish Processing Plant
Under this plant, various types of fishes and meat will be processed manually and packed for storage and marketing. The locally fabricated instruments will be used for processing and packaging.
Food Preservation Section
a) Milk refrigeration compartment
· Capacity: 20,000 litres.
· Temperature ranges between +1 to + 40 C.
· The unit will be used for storage of milk only.
b) Fruits and vegetables refrigeration compartment
· Capacity of each compartment: 16,000 litres.
· Total no. of compartments: 03.
· Temperature ranges between +1 to +150 C.
· These compartments will be used for storage of fruits and vegetables.
c) Meat and fish refrigeration compartment
· Capacity of each compartment: 20,000 litres.
· Total no. of compartments: 02.
· Temperature ranges between +1 to - 150 C.
· These compartments will be used for storage of meat and fish.
Quality Control Laboratory Section:
· The laboratory will be used for testing the food quality.
· Modern testing kits will be furnished in the laboratory.
· Tests will be performed both mechanically and manually.
Marketing Section:
· There will be two product display and sales shops.
· Modern equipments will be furnished in the shops.
· The shops will provide retail and wholesale marketing.
Technology Training Section
The technologies which will be developed that will be disseminated among the trainees, visitors, GOs & NGOs, high officials through training and visit system. After fullfledged establishment of the refrigerated storage, RDA farm can earn more revenue as well as these technologies can be replicated by the private entrepreneurs.
RDA Bio-gas Plant in RDA Campus
Rural Development Academy (RDA), Bogra has successfully installed a model of bio-gas plant at RDA campus by using constant doom system for the purpose of cooking with more utilization of cow dung along with other wastage residues.
Fig: A pictorial view of bio-gas plant at RDA Campus
Cow dung, Poultry drops, Human excreta, and other wastage residue are used
as inputs. Mixing Proportion of raw materials and water is
50:50. Total installation cost of the
bio-gas plant with a capacity of 130 m3 is around Tk. five lakh. For
distribution of bio-gas 12.50-25 mm dia upvc or G.I pipe are used and plastic
pipe is used for kitchen burner, gas light and generator.
In total 25 residential flats, cafeteria (with a capacity of 200 persons),
guest house (20 persons) and DG’s bungalow are provided by biogas for cooking
purpose. The biogas plant is also
capable to supply uninterrupted electricity for the RDA campus
using a generator driven by gas supply during blackout.