Nagaland set to host ‘Potato Festival’ on May 10

KOHIMA — Celebrating organic products from the state, Nagaland is set to host 'Potato Festival' for the first time. The first-of-its-kind event is scheduled to take place at Jakhama local ground in Kohima district on May 10.

Initiated by a few like-minded people to promote organic products, the festival aims to give local potatoes of Nagaland a window of exposure as well as offer unique experience to the visitors of the local organic potatoes from various corners of the state, which are rare and unique to its own region.

The event director, Dr. Theputo Richa, shared that to organise potato festival had been his long-time dream given the fact that almost every household from Jakhama in particular and Southern Angami areas in general cultivate potato. He stated that the festival aims to enhance farmers' income by promoting the establishment of agriculture-based enterprises.

Besides, it envisaged to facilitate the development of value-added products through capacity building and technical support and to establish sustainable market linkages and improve farmers' access to both domestic and international markets. It also aims to provide financial assistance and access to credit for farmers interested in starting or expanding their enterprises and to promote sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation.

Mhasheneinu Zao Richa, event coordinator, informed that the villagers cultivate and harvest potatoes two times each a year. The first cultivation takes place at terrace rice fields in the month of January and the second cultivation in the mountainous areas by April. It takes a complete three months for potatoes to mature and harvest.

She highlighted some of the major challenges faced by the farmers. Those challenges included inadequate transport facilities, lack of modern farming techniques and machineries, non-availability of market locality, low marketable surplus, absence of market information, lack of organisation among producers and storage issue.

The event manager, Vikukhoto Rolnu, informed that some of the activities during the festival would include demonstration of potato cultivation. The event would coincide with the potato harvesting season.

He added the organisers have invited farmers from across the state to register and be a part of the festival. Besides, he added that researchers and scholars would be part of the festival for technical support.