Sano Meru
November 23
KOHIMA (MExN): The NOVOD Board, Ministry of Agriculture Government of India has initiated a programme for undertaking model plantation of Jatropha- the Bio-Diesel Plant in 21 states of the country including Nagaland.
This was informed in a press conference held at the Directorate of Agriculture. The importance and benefit of Jatropha was highlighted to media persons by Dr.Kuril, Director and NOVOD Board. He informed that a programme for undertaking the research and development has been initiated by networking of 42 national institutes in the country including ICAR Research Centre, Nagaland.
Nagaland is getting improved material from 19 states under National networking programme of Jatropha and developing high yielding varieties and package and practices and also standardizing the package and practices suitable to ago-climatic condition of Nagaland.
Simultaneously, the State Department of Agriculture, Nagaland has also undertaken a model plantation of Jatropha in all the districts covering three hundred hectares in the State. About hundred hectares have already been covered under the model plantation in Dimapur district. Farmers interested in Jatropha cultivation for Bio-Diesel production may visit different locations in Dimapur district in consultation with Dr. Supong Keitzer, Director of Agriculture.
The central team, comprising of Dr. Kuril, Dr. D. Rao, scientist (Entomology) ICAR, Nagaland Centre, Apong Pongener, Programme Officer, Directorate of Agriculture, Kohima, Ikuto Zhimomi, DAO Dimapur, D. K. Chetri (Pathologist) in charge bio-control laboratory, Medziphema and Ranphamo, SDAO, Niuland have made extensive survey of the State and has recommended that Jatropha, as a promising crop of the state can be a self-sufficient conduit for energy requirement by producing diesel from it.
