Farmers in Comilla’s Debidwar Upazila are rapidly adopting sack-based ginger cultivation, transforming shaded household spaces into productive, climate-resilient farms while boosting incomes and cutting dependence on imports nationwide market demand.
Ginger cultivation in sacks is gaining rapid popularity in Debidwar Upazila of Comilla district, Bangladesh, as farmers transform unused shaded spaces in homesteads, backyards and rooftops into productive growing areas, helping reduce reliance on imported ginger.
Within a single year, sack-based ginger cultivation in the upazila has expanded nearly ninefold, increasing from 3,600 sacks last year to 31,000 sacks this season. Agricultural authorities and farmers aim to raise the number to 60,000 sacks in the coming year.
In villages such as Bagmara and Surpur, rows of white sacks line previously unused household spaces. During harvest, farmers cut open the sacks, releasing the sharp aroma of fresh ginger and revealing healthy, mature rhizomes grown entirely under shaded conditions.
Kamal Uddin, a farmer from Bagmara village, cultivated ginger in 1,500 sacks this season. He said each sack produced more than one kilogram of ginger, surpassing expectations. After meeting household needs, he plans to sell the surplus in local markets.
Other farmers, including Jamal Uddin, Md Alam and Monir Hossain, said they were initially sceptical about growing ginger in shade and inside sacks. After receiving technical advice from local agricultural offices, they began on a trial basis and were surprised by the strong results. The approach has since turned unused household spaces into reliable sources of food and supplementary income.
Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Nur Hossain Sakib said around 3,000 sacks of ginger were cultivated this year in his Premu block, which includes Premu, Brahmankhara and surrounding villages. Farmers received support through demonstrations and limited technical assistance to ensure proper cultivation practices.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Banin Roy said most arable land in Debidwar is devoted to paddy cultivation, while conventional ginger farming often suffers losses due to heavy rainfall. “Sack-based cultivation in shaded household spaces offers a practical and climate-resilient alternative,” Roy said.
He added that sustained field-level guidance from agricultural officers helped scale up production from 3,600 to 31,000 sacks within a year. “Farmers are now meeting household demand and supplying local markets. This initiative contributes to reducing import dependence while strengthening rural livelihoods and climate-adaptive agriculture,” he said.
