Morung Express News
Punglwa | July 21
In what can be termed a trendsetter, two Naga women have embarked on a bold venture to plant a strawberry field in the verdant valley of Punglwa village in Peren district.
Lopilo Patton, a Lotha Naga and Yamna Matchen, an Ollo Naga from Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district, the two women running the Teshora Integrated Farm, Punglwa, are currently on overdrive to sow the seeds of the succulent berry in September.
The strawberry will be the latest addition to the integrated farm which is already growing a variety of agri and horticulture crops including banana, papaya, tomato, cabbage, chilli, lady’s finger (okra), and also engaged in mushroom cultivation and poultry rearing.
The Strawberry Field Project, Teshora Integrated Farm, was formally launched by Advisor, Horticulture, Government of Nagaland, Mhathung Yanthan, on Saturday. ‘Teshora’ in Ollo dialect means ‘thank you’.
The advisor in his address said though Nagaland is blessed with abundant natural resources, fertile soil and favourable climate for agriculture and allied activities to thrive, yet there is “poverty amidst plenty” due to various factors such as poor marketing linkage, infrastructure and, perhaps, a tinge of laziness on the part of general populace and farmers.
He poor marketing linkage is one major factor which discourage local farmers as after all their sweat and labour, the farmers are discouraged since they do not the remunerative price at the end of the day.
Besides, due to lack of marketing knowledge and skills, the local farmers are at the mercy of the wholesale outlets run by outsiders, he said. Mhathung stressed on the need to impart import-export training to local farmers and youth and also to take up improved and scientific method of farming.
Taking this in view, the Horticulture advisor said the Department is mulling a change in the implementing policy of horticulture with special thrust on creating a web of marketing linkages and infrastructure, value chain, growing crops on commercial volume, and setting up of agro industries and food processing units.
Further, to boost the agri and horticulture sectors in the state, Mhathung said the government is working towards declaring Nagaland as an ‘Organic state.”
Director, Horticulture, Dr. Elithung Lotha, said it was very encouraging that the Naga two women have taken a bold initiative to foray into systematic and mechanized farming on a large scale. The director said women farmers of other districts should also be encouraged to undertake such ventures. “Nagaland is blessed with fertile soil and climate. On this God-given potential, we have to rise”, he said.
Sub-divisional agriculture officer, Dimapur, Ronchamo Kikon, said Medziphema and Punglwa areas with fertile soil, climate and abundance of water sources are ideal for organic farming.
GB Punglwa village, Adisalie, also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Lopilo Kikon, in her keynote address said the vision behind setting up of Teshora Integrated Farm was to supply healthy and organic vegetables and fruits, boosting the grassroot economy through export of farm produce outside the state, employment avenues to local youth and, to motivate Naga women farmers to take up farming on a larger and profitable scale.
