Bed Planter: Time, Water, Labor and Cost Saving Crop Production Technology

"The Bed Planter is an attachment for two-wheeled tractors that is not uncommon in Bangladesh, forms field into alternating beds and furrows, for more efficient dry season irrigation, while decreasing the crop's risk of arsenic contamination. It is resource conservative and more economically beneficial and mechanized for crop cultivation technology compared to normal power tiller supplemented methods. The bed planter combines three agricultural actions at a time- ploughing & preparing raised beds (55-60 cm width and 12-15 cm height), seeding, and fertilizing. It requires comparatively less irrigation (up to 30%) that saves farmers valuable time, energy and money. The furrow helps to drain out excess rain water, allows farmers to move inside the field easily for weed control, and allows enough sunlight and open spaces for healthy and more yield. It is also assumed that bed planting minimizes farmers major enemy field rats due to more open spaces. Optimum seed rate can also be used by this machine means that it reduces seed cost. Moreover same bed can be used for the next crop cultivation. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), partnering with iDE and different Public and Private Organizations is promoting Bed Planter along with other machinery to the farmers of Southern Bangladesh under CSISA-MI project. This is a USAID funded five year project that targets sustainable intensified and diversified agricultural production to increase household income. Local Service Providers (LSP) provides the bed planting services to the farmers for sowing maize and wheat seed where about 165 decimal (67% of a hectare) can be prepared easily by 5 hours (in a day). This short video shows how the Bed Planter provides maximum outputs with minimum inputs, and makes profits both for LSPs and farmers. This video production was supported by USAID through the CSISA-MI project, and European Union through ANEP project. The contents and opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect views of USAID or the United States Government, and European Union."