Dignitaries during the inauguration of Common Facility Centre for Banana Fibre Extraction at Kukidolong ona June 11.
Common Facility Centre for Banana Fibre Extraction inaugurated
Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 11
The Common Facility Centre for extraction of Banana Fibre, located at Kukidolong area, New Chümoukedima was inaugurated in the presence of Chanchal Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of DoNER and Dr M Chuba Ao, Chairman, MARCOFED, Government of Nagaland on June 11.
The centre is supported by NECTAR-North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (An autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India) with The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) as the implementing agency.
According to tEA, the centre will immensely help the farmers to turn ‘waste into wealth’ and are designed to transform waste banana pseudo-stems into valuable products, such as fibre, liquid fertiliser, vermicompost, and other economically valuable products, including biodegradable papers. The CFC will greatly benefit the rural community and will open new avenues of livelihood opportunities for last-mile citizens.
Speaking on the occasion, Chanchal Kumar said the launching of the CFC will lead to many more in the region. The DoNER Secretary shared that under PM DevINE, many other initiatives for the development of the region is being initiated.
“For India to develop, North East Region must develop and NE is not the end tip of India but is the new engine for growth of the country,” he said. “CFC will not just develop the state but also build the resilience of the region,” he added.
Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, Director General, NECTAR highlighted the plans that the Government of India, under the Ministry of DoNER, envisions for the farmers in the region. With the core goal of turning ‘waste into wealth,’ the CFC will offer livelihood solutions through banana waste to numerous farmers and rural communities in the vicinity of the plant and the state.
Sarma also shared that this CFC is the first of its kind in the North East Region of India, and will be implemented by tEA.
Neichute Doulo, CEO of tEA mentioned that NECTAR, under the leadership of Dr Arun Kumar Sarma, has been undertaking path breaking initiatives in the region. Doulo added that the planned Nagaki City needs industries and businesses, and the CFC of NECTAR, implemented by tEA, is the first factory established within the Vision Framework of the Dr. Rio and the Government of Nagaland. He also believed that the area around the CFC will become a vibrant hub for positive economic activities.
tEA is already in touch with villages around the CFC for sourcing raw materials and establishing linkages vital for the success of the production centre, he added.
Dr M Chuba Ao, Dr Akali Sema, Professor, Nagaland University and Doshehe Y Sema, former Minister also spoke at the programme.
During the programme, NECTAR also provided the farmers with training materials and the Vasundhara Soil Organic Testing Kits. Simon Phukan, Sr Administrative Officer NECTAR also present on the occasion. Chunjanglu, Operations Supervisor hosted the event while vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Collin Z Renthlei, Advisor (Technical), NECTAR.
