Dimapur, January 22 (MExN): A three day conference of Agriculture Ministers was held at Gangtok Sikkim from January 17 to 19, with the theme ‘Sustainable Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in India.’ The Nagaland State was represented by Dr. Benjongliba Aier, Parliamentary Secretary of Agriculture and Chairman of NSAMB and Thungjamo Lotha, Joint Director of Agriculture. The conference was inaugurated by Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on January 17 in the presence of the Chief Minister of Sikkim, two Union Minister of State for Agriculture and a host of agricultural scientists and corporate executives. The Technical Session was held on January 17 in which Dr. Benjongliba Aier was given the privilege to chair the Session which was attended by all the Agriculture Ministers from all the states of India, officials from Ministry of Agriculture, ICAR, APEDA, NHB, various corporate and financial institutes and senior officials from various states. On January 18, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Orchid Exhibitions at the Ridge park, Gangtok followed by the General Conference at Chintan Bhawan, where the thematic recommendations were presented that were evolved during the Technical Session for the future planning of organic agriculture and soil health management in the country and to transform Indian agriculture with new visions. The PM also declared Sikkim State as the First Organic State in the country on the same day. On January 19, Narendar Modi also inaugurated the Organic Agriculture Festival at Sarama garden, 13th Kms away from Gangtok. The team also visited some organic fields in the state.
