Zhaleo Rio, retired IAS officer and Advisor addressing the farmers’ fair and exhibition held at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre on March 20.
Medziphema, March 22 (MExN): A farmers’ fair and exhibition on ‘Livelihood Improvement of Tribal Farmers of Nagaland through Technology Empowerment and Input Support System’ was held at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre on March 20. The event was organised by the RRLRRS, ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Gerua, Assam, in collaboration with ICAR Nagaland Centre.
Zhaleo Rio, retired IAS officer and Advisor (Urban Development & Municipal Affairs), GoN graced the event as the chief guest, while Dr Girish Patil S, Director of ICAR-NRC on Mithun, Dr MJ Baig, Director, ICAR-CRRI, Cuttack, Odisha and Dr I Shakuntala Devi, Dean of the College of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry (CAU), Jalukie attended as the special guests.
In his welcome address, Dr H Kalita, HoRC, ICAR Nagaland Centre, highlighted the Integrated Farming System (IFS) model and its adaptation by farmers. He also emphasized various technologies developed by ICAR Nagaland Centre, including High-Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of rice and Artificial Insemination (AI) technology, which are enhancing productivity in the region.
Dr I Shakuntala Devi spoke about Nagaland’s Geographical Indication (GI) products and the AI training and techniques implemented across 11 districts of the state. She also stressed the importance of short-duration rice varieties and urged farmers to actively participate in the conservation of local rice germplasm.
Dr Girish Patil underscored the significance of agriculture as the lifeline of Nagaland, with rice farming playing a key role in ensuring consistent income for farmers. He encouraged participation in capacity-building programmes and highlighted the contribution of ICAR Nagaland Centre in developing HYVs of rice, which have significantly enhanced productivity. He also urged farmers to promote local varieties such as black sticky rice and purple rice. Furthermore, he emphasized the integration of livestock with agriculture to improve soil health and ensure sustainable farming practices.
Dr M J Baig emphasised the importance of such events in empowering farmers. He highlighted the challenges posed by climate change and shared insights on CRRI’s development of climate-resilient rice varieties. He encouraged farmers to adopt innovative rice farming systems to address emerging challenges.
In his address, Zhaleo Rio stressed the importance of promoting local produce and urged farmers to be personally involved in farming practices to enhance their income. He encouraged them to avail the various agricultural schemes and policies provided by both state and central agencies. He also advocated for restricted use of chemical fertilizers to preserve soil fertility.
The event witnessed the participation of 240 attendees, including representatives from KVKs, State Agricultural Services (SAS), NRC on Mithun, Nature Agro-enterprise, and farmers from various districts of Nagaland. During the inaugural session, agricultural inputs such as threshing sheets, knapsack sprayers, garden pipes, and seeds were distributed to the farmers by the Chief Guest.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Kanchan Saikia, Principal Scientist and In-Charge, RRLRRS.
