Their gardens are adjacent to the flood protection embankment along the river basin.

This year, they earned Tk 4,000 by selling vegetables produced in the two floating gardens after meeting their requirement.

Along with many others, erosion victims Tara Begum and her husband Ayub Ali took shelter on the Brahmaputra flood control embankment at Singria in Fulchari Upazila eight years ago after her house at Urea Char was devoured by the river.

Only physical labour is needed to erect a floating garden said Tara Begum while talking to this correspondent recently.

"I had to spend a small amount for fertiliser and seeds".

Tara Begum got training on vegetable gardening provided by local NGOs Gono Unnayan Kendro and Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG).

She first collected hyacinth and made some sort of a raft this June. She sprayed soil on it before sowing seeds. The rafts are eight metres long and one metre wide each.

Her husband Ayub Ali and their two her children helped her in raising the floating vegetable gardens. They later cultivated leafy vegetables, lady's finger, gourd and Brinjal during the summer.

"We got very good prices for our vegetables because of crisis in the market”, said Ayub Ali.

Tara Begum is now preparing to cultivate winter vegetables on her two floating gardens.

Seeing her success, many others in the area are now thinking to raise such floating gardens, Tara Begum said.

ITDG extends all necessary support in preparing floating gardens. It helps the destitute and landless people in flood prone areas.This scheme can be helpful for a large number of people in greater Rangpur region who face monga during this period of the year.

"We have set up two demonstration floating gardens, one at Singria in Fulchari Upazila and the other at Baguria in Sader Upazila.

This system can be expanded to help displaced and floating people, said an official of ITDG.

Those who have become landless due to river erosion can easily raise floating vegetable gardens on rivers and water bodies and overcome poverty, said Abdus Salam, Chief Executive of Gano Unnayan Kendro.

The rafts can be shifted from place to place, he said.