Capacity building training for Agri. professionals underway

Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 24 (EMN): A three-day capacity building training programme for professionals from Nagaland’s agriculture and allied departments commenced on Thursday at bio-organic quality control laboratory of the District Soil Conservation Office, organised by college of post graduate studies in agriculture science, Central Agriculture University (Imphal), Umiam in Meghalaya.

The three-day capacity building training programme on ‘Mother culture maintenance, mass production and storage of bio-fertilisers for promotion of organic farming in North East India’ was sponsored by Directorate of Extension Education, Central Agriculture University, Imphal, Lamphelpat in Imphal West, Manipur.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, minster of Soil and Water Conservation and Geology and Mining, Kashiho Sangtam, stated that nearly half of the population (54.6%) is engaged in agriculture and allied activities according to census 2011 and it contributed 17.4% to the country’s gross value added price. He added that the government of India has initiated several steps for its sustainable development to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis through the soil health management scheme and to support the creation of a unified national agriculture market to boost farmer incomes.

With regard to Nagaland agriculture scenarios, he stated that the state has declared its intentions to be fully organic in the coming years.

Sangtam also stated that more than 70% of the population in Nagaland is engaged in agriculture by practicing various forms of traditional farming techniques. He added that the state government is rigorously advocating Naga farmers to adopt systematic and organised organic farming on identified crops.

In this regard, the minister has suggested continuous upgrade of knowledge and skills not only among the farmers but also the professionals who are engaged in promotion of organic and natural farming.

Stating that organic soil management practices are the most important challenges in today’s agriculture systems, he informed that the state government has already taken keen interest in making available the native efficient bio-fertilisers suitable to Nagaland’s acid soils through mass production.

He also informed that two state-of-the-art liquid bio-fertiliser production units are already operational with ten more units to be established soon. He added that the government has already materialised a Memorandum of Agreement with the Central Agricultural University (Imphal) to adopt efficient native strains of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides through technology transfer.

Professor of CPGSAS, Umiam, and consultant of soil health management and organic farming for Nagaland, Dwipendra Thakuria, delivered the welcome address and was also the resources person on the first day.