Nagaland & New Zealand join hands for India’s first Kiwi CoE

Kohima, June 1 (MExN): Nagaland has taken a significant step towards establishing India’s first Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Kiwifruit at Pfütsero, with the state government holding high-level discussions with a New Zealand delegation to advance the landmark bilateral project.

Nagaland Minister for Water Resources and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, met an 11-member delegation from New Zealand and New Delhi on May 31 at Kisama to discuss the progress of the proposed facility, which is being developed in partnership with one of the world’s leading Kiwifruit-producing nations, stated an update received here. 

Commissioner and Secretary for Horticulture, Akumla Chuba, and senior departmental officials also attended the meeting.

The New Zealand delegation comprised six scientists and technical experts from the country's Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI), Stephanie Clare Montgomery, Daniel Colin Black, Nicholas Gould, Jeremy Nicholas Burdon, Joy Lorraine Tyson and Steven Robert Green.

Representatives from the New Zealand Embassy in New Delhi, officials from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and media personnel were also part of the visiting team.

A key objective of the visit is the installation of a weather monitoring station at the proposed CoE site in Pfütsero. Once operational, it will be the first such facility established by the Horticulture Department in Nagaland. The station will generate real-time data on weather conditions, soil health and water parameters, providing crucial scientific inputs for precision farming and helping growers improve productivity and fruit quality.

The BSI experts are also expected to carry out preliminary surveys for the CoE and interact with Kiwi farmers across the state. These field visits will help assess existing cultivation practices, identify challenges faced by farmers and explore opportunities to enhance yields through research-driven interventions.

During the meeting, Minister Kruse expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as well as the New Zealand delegation for their support and interest in the initiative. She also highlighted the potential for future exchange programme that could enable Nagaland farmers to visit New Zealand for practical training and exposure to advanced kiwifruit cultivation techniques.

The proposed CoE is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening Nagaland’s Kiwi sector through scientific research, technology transfer and capacity building. The initiative is in line with the state government’s broader vision of positioning Nagaland as the “Kiwi State of India” while creating better livelihood opportunities for farmers through modern, science-based horticulture practices.