Newmai News Network
Shillong | February 2
Organic farmers at Lawsohtun in Meghalaya under the umbrella of Lawsohtun farmers’ Association are still at the mercy of mother nature to grow their vegetables and fruits owning to the lack of water supply and proper irrigation system.
Last year in June, Meghalaya agriculture minister Banteidor Lyngdoh inspected the organic farm along with urban affairs minister, Hamletson Dohling who is the local MLA of the area and gave many assurances but to no avail.
President of Lawsohtun farmers’ Association, Lambok Marbaning who himself has been into organic farming since 1994, said that the farmers are still facing acute water problems till date.
“Last year the Agriculture minister assured to send research expert to treat the water sources available at the farm which is too high in iron but nothing happened till date,” he said even as he informed that local MLA Hamletson Dohling had at least given the farmers a JCB needed to bulldoze some of the areas for farming.
Informing that 40 farmers are working in the organic farm with more than 30 women farmers, he said, “We are still facing water problem in this farm till date and the NOC from the water resources department to tap the water source located at Sanmer, is stuck in the forest department.”
Stating that cultivation season has already arrived, he said, “If the farmers here only get to avail the Kisan Credit Card or KCC loan it will be of immense help to the farmers that will support them financially.”
Marbaniang said that the farmers need financial support especially the women to pay for the wages to the labourers they engaged for bringing in the cow dung, compost, etc from a distance to the farm.
