ADC Pughoboto, Tiameren Chang addressing the farmers training held at Town Hall Pughoboto on May 1. (DIPR Photo)
PUGHOBOTO, MAY 1 (MExN): Farmers training under Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD) for NER was conducted by SDAO, Pughoboto under Department of Agriculture, at Town Hall, Pughoboto on May 1.
A DIPR report stated that SDAO, Pughoboto, Kitoho Michael Swu in his keynote address briefed on MOVCD which is a farmers’ mobilisation program to transform conventional agriculture to organic agriculture with quality assurance and market linkage and alongside value chain infrastructure.
MOVCD-NER will be implemented under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Zunheboto and with COLKS as the third party service provider. Altogether, 500 farmers in 20 FIGs (Farmer Interest Groups) from 10 villages (Puneboqa, Kitami, Ghokimi, Lazami, Mishilimi, Natsumi, Mukalimi, Iphonumi, Tuquliqa & Ighanumi) are currently under MOVCD-NER Phase IV with Jobstear and Ginger as the select export focus crop, Swu informed.
Speaking on the occasion as the special guest, Additional Deputy Commissioner Pughoboto, Tiameren Chang, expressed appreciation to the MLA Pughoboto AC, Dr Sukhato A. Sema and SDAO Department for initiating the lone MOVCD project under Zunheboto District at Pughoboto.
Chang said that Nagas should make judicious use of the rich natural land resource and take advantage of the various State Government schemes and projects to make Nagaland a truly organic state in line with the state of Sikkim.
He put forward a positive challenge to the farmers that Pughoboto too can organise a jobs tears festival if the production is satisfactory. He encouraged the farmers to imbibe scientific knowledge and traditional practices for enhanced agricultural production.
The first technical session consisted of intensive training on package of practices of ginger by Kerilhoulie Rulu ATM, Ghathashi Block and on package of practices of jobs tears by Vivitoli Swu ATM, Ghathashi Block.
In the second technical session, SDO (Soil) Department of Soil & Water Conservation, Dr Alika N Zhimomi, highlighted the relevance, scope and constraints of organic farming in Nagaland and trained the farmers on conservation and management of soil and also the production of on farm input (Vermicompost).
BPM, NRLM Pughoboto, Dr S Kanitoli Chishi, discussed rural livelihood through organic farming and women in agriculture, entrepreneur and SHGs. The training program was well attended by farmers from the 10 villages under Pughoboto sub-division.
