Kohinoor Begum: Nayakrishi brings prosperity
Ajmira Khatun, Coordinator, UBINIG Arshinagar Biddaghor met a Nayakrishi farmer at Shyampur village, Dashuria union, Ishwardi upazila, district Pabna. Her name is Kohinoor Begum. She received Nayakrishi training and other support long ago. Ajmira went to the village to select farmers for Nayakrishi training. Kohinoor voluntarily approached Ajmira to talk about her relationship with Nayakrishi. She said “Whatever I have now is by virtue of Nayakrishi.” It was a time, when Nayakrishi was looking for landless female headed households for share rearing of livestock called Adhi.
Story of Kohinoor Begum
Ten years ago, I and my husband used to work for neighbors’ houses for earning income. We had no land of our own. I have two sons and a daughter. We used to pass our days with great hardship then. We passed many days with only one meal. Just at that time some kormies (staff) from Nayakrishi came to our village.
They noticed the pitiable situation of my family. They offered me a calf. With kind grace of All mighty of Allah. I reared the calf up. The calf was grown up in time into a cow. On maturity the cow gave birth to a calf. My cow used to give 6–7-liters of milk a day. We used to sell the milk in the market. Thus, we used to earn a good sum of money. The calf was also growing nicely. As a system of sharing the offspring, we gave the calf to one of our neighbor.
My cow again became pregnant. In due time it again gave birth to another calf. In this way I was getting a calf every year. I got a lot from the cow in these 10-12 years. I have earned a sum of about BDT 7-8 lakhs. Still, I have two cows in my herd including a cow and a bull. I have, in the meantime invested the sum of BDT 7-8 lakh in useful purposes. Initially I purchased food for my family. This is because I was very hard up in this period. I had tough time to manage food for my family members. I used to sell milk for money to buy food for my family. Then I had arranged the marriage of my youngest son. I met that expenditure with money earned from cow. We purchased ornament for the wife of my son. I constructed a cow shed. I have purchased chicken and ducks. Now I have seven goats. I have 12 ducks and 43 chickens. I have pigeons also. In addition, I have two cows. I have sacrificed a cow. Last years I took lease of 10 katha (16.5 decimals) land.
I spent a sum of BDT one lakh fifty thousand to take lease in of 10 katha land. With the grace of All mighty Allah now we do not need to work in other’s houses as labour. My husband works in our own land. In addition, works in others field when he finds time. We are a happy family now. My kids also give hands in activities. I shall never forger the gift of Nayakrishi for improving my economic condition. I shall be with Nayakrishi for life.