Participants of the training programme held at Beisumpuikam village.
Dimapur, October 24 (MExN): The NEH component of Vegetable Crops in collaboration with NEH Component of Onion & Garlic, Nagaland Centre, SASRD, NU conducted a one day farmer’s training programme on ‘Scientific Cultivation of Winter Vegetables’ and ‘Onion and Garlic Cultivation’ at Beisumpuikam village.
The aim was to encourage the farmers in adopting kitchen garden practices as well as promoting onion and garlic cultivation for a better tomorrow.
The technical session-I on ‘Scientific Cultivation of Winter Vegetables’ was delivered by Dr Moakala Changkiri, Scientist, AICRP (VC)& Co-Project In charge, NEH Component, Dept of Horticulture, SASRD: NU.
She enlightened the farmers on the importance of organic products like neem oil, biofertilizers and trichoderma in vegetable production and demonstrated other organic tactics like seedling root dip method. She emphasized on the methodology and various ideas on production of vegetable crops which the research centre has been adopting after years of trials that would benefit the local farmers of the state and region as a whole. She also highlighted on the importance of nursery particularly for high value vegetable crops in order to get better economic returns.
The second technical session on ‘Onion and Garlic Cultivation’ was delivered by Dr Aastik Jha, Scientist, AICRP (VC) & Project In charge, NEH Component, Dept of Horticulture, SASRD: NU. He first highlighted the farmers on the importance and benefits of onion and garlic for human health. He also enlightened the farmers about all the developed varieties of onion and garlic that are suitable for the region and their cultivation practices.
The training was attended by about 50 farmer participants. The programme started with a prayer by the Pastor of Beisumpuikam village followed by brief introduction from Dr Moakala Changkiri.
The wrap up session was graced by the Head Chairman of the village where seeds of winter vegetable crops, rabi onion and garlic bulbs along with other agri-inputs were distributed to all the participants. The GB of Beisumpuikam village on behalf of all the farmers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of AICRP-Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, SASRD:NU for organizing the training programme in their village and expressed their willingness to participate and fully cooperate in future programmes.
The training ended with a prayer by the Pastor of the village. The entire programme was coordinated by Scientist Dr Moakala Changkiri, Dr Aastik Jha, Yongkongtula, STA; Huka Sumi and Ningthing of Entrepreneurs Associates (EA), Nagaland.
It may be noted that the AICRP (Vegetable Crops), Department of Horticulture, SASRD, NU has been awarded two new projects ‘NEH Component of Vegetable Crops’ and ‘NEH Component of Onion & Garlic’ for promotional activities in relation to different vegetable crops, onion and garlic for nutritional and economical upliftment of vegetable growers of Nagaland.
Under this project, good quality vegetable seeds of high yielding varieties are being procured from ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, UP; while ICAR-DOGR, Onion & Garlic Research, Rajamundhary, Pune sends good quality, region-specific onion seeds and garlic bulbs for distribution to interested farmers.
Recently, with the aim of providing services for decent living of the farmers of Nagaland, DoNER has identified four districts of Nagaland; namely Mon, Longleng, Wokha and Peren for monitoring and promoting vegetable production programmes in some target villages.
