Dimapur, November 9 (MExN): ICAR Nagaland Centre conducted three-days training on ‘Capacity building on large cardamom cultivation among the tribal farmers of Nagaland’ funded under TSP from November 7 to 9.
Dr. DJ Rajkhowa, Joint Director in his welcome address highlighted the scope and opportunities of spices cultivation in Nagaland. Dr. Azeze Seyie, Scientist (Spices, Plantation, Medicinal and aromatic plants), coordinator of the training programme gave an outline of the training programme and stressed on the importance of the large cardamom based agroforestry which is an adaptive system in the hilly region for ecosystem services and in the recent years have been a remunerative source of income to the tribal farmers of Nagaland. However, the growers have to face some major threats and challenges on crop management, diseases and pests control and lack of market intelligence, which have caused severe setbacks on livelihood of the people.
During the three days programme, courses related to quality nursery production and its management, production techniques of large cardamom, integrated nutrient management, vermi-compost, integrated disease management, integrated pest management, post harvest management, value addition and for marketing of large cardamom in Nagaland were covered by scientists of the centre. Government schemes and programme for promotion of spices cultivation were also apprised by official from spice board, Nagaland.
The valedictory session was chaired by Dr. LK Baishya, Senior scientist and he briefed the farmers about the importance of spices crops for doubling of farmer’s income in the state. He stressed on the expansion of area under large cardamom in cluster basis and highlighted the scope of expansion in vast agro-forest and jhum land of Nagaland.
Altogether 29 farmers from different parts of Nagaland participated in the training and course completion certificate was distributed to them in the valedictory session.
