Dimapur, March 20 (MExN): In order to prepare a roadmap for attaining self sufficiency in seed production of major agricultural crops like paddy, maize, pulses and oilseed in Nagaland, two stakeholder workshops were organized by ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Nagaland Centre in collaboration with the Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Nagaland. The workshop was conducted at Mokokchung and Kohima on March 14 and 19 respectively.
While inaugurating the workshop at Kohima, the APC, Government of Nagaland, AS Bhatia, called on the stakeholders to discuss at length about the pros and cons of seed production programme in the State. He appreciated the organizers for conducting such a workshop involving all the stakeholders like DAOs, SDAOs, programme coordinators of KVKs and progressive farmers/NGOs of the State in order to prepare an implementable programme to fulfill the seed requirement of major crops of the State. Dr. Bidyut C Deka, Joint Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Jharnapani while explaining the objective of the workshop emphasised that to replace the seed at 10% per year, the State would require about 800 MT of paddy seeds, 150 MT of maize and around 15 MT of rapeseed and mustard. The truth fully labeled seeds can easily be produced in the State itself by involving the state department, KVKs and ICAR, Dr. Deka stated. Tekatushi Ao, Joint Director, DOA, Kohima and i/c SARS, Yisemyong, Mokokchung informed the house that the SARS has already identified suitable varieties of paddy and maize for the benefit of the farmers. He highlighted the importance of the formation of a State Variety Release Committee to release the varieties at an early date.
EH Lotha, Director of Agriculture, Kohima, while chairing the meeting highlighted the importance of seed chain in the State. Dr. P.K. Pathak, Associate Director of Research, AAU, Jorhat, Dr. (Mrs.) Sharmila D. Deka, Sr. Scientist, AAU, Jorhat, Assam and Bendangla Imsong, SMS (PB), KVK Wokha presented different models of Seed production and other requirements in the workshop as resource persons. About 80 officers from Department of Agriculture, KVKs, NGOs etc from all the 11 districts of the State attended both the workshop at Mokokchung and Kohima. I. Panger, Additional Director of Agriculture proposed the vote of thanks and urged upon the participants to take up the programme in a missionary zeal to make the State self sufficient in seed production. Z. James Kikon, SMS (Soil Sc) KVK Dimapur, coordinated both the workshop.
The meeting after threadbare discussion recommended the following: The identified varieties of crops like paddy, maize, rapeseed and mustard and pulses shall be taken up for seed production in participatory mode involving the KVKs, ICAR Complex and the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture may formulate a policy to buy back the seeds at an approved rate from the producers on an indane basis to encourage the seed production programme in the State. The Department will take necessary action for creation of State Seed Certification Agency in the Directorate to strengthen the seed sector in the State.
