NEN Summer Farm School concludes
Chizami, July 2 (MExN): The NEN Summer Farm School, organized by North East Network (NEN) Nagaland concluded at Chizami on July 2. Altogether 21 students, 12 girls and 9 boys aged between 14-16 years participated in 6-day workshop held between June 27 - July 2.
At the valedictory session that was attended by both the students and their parents, Seno Tsuhah, Project Team Leader NEN stated ‘Summer Farm School is an effort to connect young people to their roots – to their natural resources that include forest, land, water and biodiversity; to their local food and sustainable farming systems; and traditional knowledge systems, so that young people learn to value these resources and show the way towards a sustainable development.’
Wetshete Thopi, Lecturer, Patkai Christian College in his short speech asserted that ‘real education lies not in the degree but in the understanding of our environment’ and encouraged both the parents and students to value the learning that was received from the summer school. Certificate of Participation was handed over to students by Welhite Naro, Chairman,Village Education Committee Chizami.
The 6-day workshop covered topics such as Understanding the natural world – resources & threats; Revisiting sustainable food and farming Systems, pollinators, agro-biodiversity, soil health and pest management.
Activities include field visit to millet based biodiverse jhum land and terrace fields, paddy transplanting, gardening, visit to seed banks and bee farm, vermi-composting, biodiversity walk, documentation of herbal medicines and wild edibles, interaction with community elders, film screenings, story-telling, and quiet-time.
Resource persons include custodian farmers Khenemvu L.Mero, Dikhwetso-u Wezah, Keneile Thopi, Ezekote Naro, Kekhrowe Tsido; scientists from KVK –ICAR T. Esther Longkumer and Liza B. Bharali; theologian-students from OTS Mesaseno and Imlienla; Educator Wetshete Thopi; and NEN Nagaland team.
