Under the slogan “Let’s cultivate at home, eat fresh veggies year-round,” two volunteer organizations, Youth Foundation and Children’s Foundation, have launched an initiative to sell vegetable seeds at only Tk10 in Tangail.
The event, held on Saturday, saw enthusiastic volunteers selling various vegetable seeds throughout the day in the Tangail district's slum areas.
According to organizers, the initiative aims to encourage people to start cultivating vegetables at home.
This unique project included over 15 types of vegetable seeds, such as bottle gourd, pumpkin, beans, tomatoes, chilies, radish, bitter gourd, yardlong beans, cucumber, red spinach, spinach, and Malabar spinach.
For just Tk10, each customer was allowed to purchase three varieties of vegetable seeds.
Arifa Zaman, a coordinator of the initiative, said: “Our goal is to make vegetable seeds accessible to all, including low-income working-class individuals and others from different social strata.”
She added: “Even those without a garden can grow vegetables in small spaces like balconies or rooftops, so we’re also selling hybrid seeds to make that possible.”
Customers were excited about the initiative.
Marzina Begum, a customer, said: “I plan to grow vegetables in a small space near my house, so I purchased three varieties of seeds for only Tk10.”
Similarly, Imran Sikder, a student, said: “The rising prices of vegetables are beyond reach for many families. This affordable seed option allows us to grow our own vegetables at home.”
Another coordinator, Rakibul Hasan Raihan, added: “We plan to continue this project in different villages across Tangail. By cultivating their own vegetables, people can meet their dietary needs and even share produce with their neighbors.”
Muid Hasan Torit, the organization’s president, also explained the rationale behind this venture.
“Due to the high cost of vegetables, many people struggle to buy them regularly. Our initiative seeks to bring vegetable prices within people’s reach and promote the concept of home gardening,” he said.
With subsidies on each seed packet, the volunteers were able to sell seeds to around 200 customers during the day.
