Kohima, April 17 (MExN): The Department of Agriculture organised a felicitation programme for Minister, Agriculture and Cooperation, G. Kaito Aye on April 17 at the Directorate of Agriculture, Kohima.
Minister Kaito Aye encouraged the department officials to visit the villages to gear them up in order to reach the remote levels of the State. “Changes need to come, therefore they should all work together to see progression take place in order to benefit the farmers,” said the Minister.
He requested the Director and his officials to be consultative and to show more support to the grass root level and bring out activities so that it would benefit the community as a whole. He also mentioned that farmers who are doing well should be upgraded.
The Minister mentioned that the schemes and programmes set forth by the department should be properly implemented. Compact farming should be encouraged especially for farmers with small lands so that this would develop not only the individual farmers but also the state as a whole. Cold storage in certain areas where production is high should also be constructed in order to bring the ‘Bye back policy.’ The main target of the department should be to rescue the farmers in order to boost the economy of the state.
Minister Kaito also launched the ‘NagaFarm Doctor’ mobile app for android phones.
Additional Director, Agriculture, Henry Zeliang in his welcome address, thanked and expressed his gratitude to the Minister for his kind gesture, opting to lead one of the oldest departments in the State. He said that a person of his caliber who is well versed with the affairs of the State is expected to bring some new innovative ideas for the development of the department.
Director, Agriculture, G. Ikuto Zhimomi highlighted a slide show on the ongoing departmental activities of the projects, funding patterns, state schemes etc. and the actual targets in food grain scenario which he hoped to achieve at the earliest. He also mentioned the projection of 100 days programme of Agriculture Department (March 8 to 18, 2018).
He further displayed the organizational set-up of the department, demonstrated on construction of agri-link roads, the potential of cultivation of crops in suitable locations, distribution of machineries under different projects, water harvesting, training at villages with different schemes. He also stressed about the difficulties faced by the farmers at the grass root level and hoped the ongoing construction of Agri Directorate is completed shortly for them to work effectively.
Additional Director of Agriculture, Butang Khaim concluded the programme with a vote of thanks.
