Farmers’ training session under MOVCD held in Pughoboto

DIMAPUR — A farmers’ training session under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD) for the North East Region (NER) was conducted at the Town Hall in Pughoboto on Wednesday.

According to a DIPR report, it was organised by the Sub-Divisional Agricultural Office (SDAO) Pughoboto, under the Department of Agriculture.

Sub-Divisional Agricultural Officer Kitoho Michael Swu, in his keynote address, briefed on MOVCD, mentioning that it is a farmers’ mobilisation programme aimed at transforming conventional agriculture to organic agriculture with quality assurance and market linkage, alongside value chain infrastructure.

He informed that MOVCD-NER will be implemented under the chairmanship of the deputy commissioner of Zunheboto, with COLKS serving as the third-party service provider. Altogether, 500 farmers in 20 farmer interest groups (FIGs) from 10 villages (Puneboqa, Kitami, Ghokimi, Lazami, Mishilimi, Natsumi, Mukalimi, Iphonumi, Tuquliqa, and Ighanumi) are currently participating in MOVCD-NER Phase IV, with jobstear and ginger selected as the export focus crops.

Special guest, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Pughoboto, Tiameren Chang, in his address lauded MLA of Pughoboto Assembly Constituency, Dr. Sukhato A Sema, and the department of Agriculture for initiating the lone MOVCD project under Zunheboto district in Pughoboto.

Chang emphasised that Nagas should make judicious use of the rich natural land resources and take advantage of the various state government schemes and projects to make Nagaland a truly organic state, following the example of Sikkim.

He said that Pughoboto could also organise a jobstear festival if the production meets satisfactory levels and he encouraged the farmers to imbibe scientific knowledge and traditional practices for enhanced agricultural production.

During the technical session, farmers were trained on the package of practices for ginger by Kerilhoulie Rulu, ATM, Ghathashi Block, and on the package of practices for jobstear by Vivitoli Swu, ATM, Ghathashi Block.

Additionally, SDO (soil) Dr. Alika N Zhimomi from the department of Soil and Water Conservation, highlighted the relevance, scope, and constraints of organic farming in Nagaland. Zhimomi also conducted training for farmers on soil conservation and management, as well as the production of on-farm inputs such as vermicompost.

Block Project Manager, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Pughoboto, and Dr. S Kanitoli Chishi discussed rural livelihood opportunities through organic farming, as well as women in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and SHGs.

Farmers from the ten villages in the Pughoboto sub-division attended the training programme.