Training on ‘effective strategies for linking farmers to markets’ held

Dr Watimongla Jamir, Incharge Director SAMETI & Principal IETC along with DPDs SAMETI and participants during the trainers’ training programme held at SAMETI, Medziphema on August 20 and 21. (Photo Courtesy: SAMETI)

Dimapur, August 21 (MExN): State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI), Nagaland organised a two day trainers’ training programme on ‘effective strategies for linking farmers to markets’ on August 20 and 21 at SAMETI, Medziphema. 

The programme was organised to train ATMA field functionaries at creating awareness and understanding about issues and challenges in linking farmers to market and how value chain approach can be adopted to enable farmers to have better access to markets.  The resource persons for the training were Dr. Sanjoy Das, Department of Agricultural Economics, NU, SASRD and Prabin Das, Marketing Specialist, Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Medziphema. Power Point Presentations and participatory lectures on important relevant topics viz, Issues of Marketing Management in Agri and Allied products; linking farmers to Market through Contract farming; Supply Chain and Marketing of Horticulture Crops; Distribution Networks; and Potential of Entrepreneurship in Horticulture were imparted during the training.

The trainees also visited Molvum village, Medziphema and interacted with members of Pineapple Farmer’s Producer Organisation (FPO). The objective of the visit was to expose participants to the activities of the markets and also to witness how marketing of pineapple takes place in Molvum village. Feedback forms were distributed to the participants to allow them to share their thoughts and suggestions about the training. 

The valedictory function was chaired by Sentinaro Longchar, DPD SAMETI while feedback from the trainees was given by Temsumongba, ATM Kiphire and Elomkala Phom ATM, Longleng respectively. Dr Watimongla, Incharge Director SAMETI & Principal IETC in her valedictory address emphasized how small farmers can also benefit and prosper from the emerging markets and value chains if linked effectively. She also advised the trainees to adopt “bottom-up” approach of identifying farmers to work with and linking farmers to markets so that they could sell their products.

Altogether, 22 ATMA functionaries from all the eleven districts of Nagaland attended the training programme. Certificates and training handouts were also distributed to all the participants while vote of thanks was pronounced by Vikaho Chophi, DPD SAMETI.