Minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse speaking at the 4th Jhum Fair organised by the Chiechamiapfü Mechü Krotho on August 22.
Morung Express News
Kohima | August 22
Nagaland Minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, has called for greater efforts to make agriculture more sustainable, profitable and attractive to the younger generation.
Addressing the 4th Jhum Fair organised by the Chiechamiapfü Mechü Krotho (CMK) at the Amphitheatre, Chiechama, the Minister said the fair was more than a celebration of farming. She described it as a reflection of Nagaland’s rich agricultural heritage, traditional knowledge, community spirit and the hard work of farmers.
Kruse encouraged educated youth to consider farming as a viable livelihood, noting that opportunities in government employment had reached a saturated point. She said greater support through training, start-up assistance, infrastructure, market linkages and government schemes could help move agriculture from traditional subsistence farming towards a more modern, sustainable and market-oriented sector.
The Minister also highlighted the potential of organic farming in Nagaland, citing the State’s rich biodiversity, traditional farming practices and relatively low use of chemical inputs in many areas.
The Minister urged farmers to make greater use of available government schemes, including the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture and MOVCD-NER.
She further stressed the need to support women farmers, young people and small producers with better technology, training, storage, processing facilities, credit and access to wider markets.
Calling for collective efforts, Kruse urged farmers, self-help groups, cooperatives, scientists, officials and entrepreneurs to work together to make agriculture more resilient and rewarding.
She expressed hope that the Jhum Fair would become a platform where tradition meets innovation, agriculture meets enterprise and community meets opportunity, while inspiring the younger generation to value and carry forward Nagaland’s agricultural heritage.
During the Jhum Fair various fresh organic agricultural produces and homemade products were put on sale.
The Chiechamiapfü Mechü Krotho has been organising the ‘Jhum Fair’ since 2023, which has been a great success since then.
What began as an initiative for community farming four years ago at Ciethu for young mothers in productive livelihood activities work, has now flourished into a success story of economic self-reliance and a strong community spirit.
