Pathso Noknyu celebrates Chitso Sumai festival in Noklak with leaders urging farmers to adopt sustainable methods and modern practices.
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DIMAPUR — Pathso Noknyu celebrated Chitso Sumai at Khaushiu Public Ground, Pathso, Noklak, on February 24. The event was attended by Advisor for Agriculture Mhathung Yanthan as the special guest and MLA Benei M Lamthiu as the festival host.
According to a DIPR report, Chitso Sumai is a significant agricultural festival of the Khiamniungan tribe that marks the transition into a new farming season. It is observed as a dual-purpose celebration, offering thanksgiving for the previous year's bounty and a spiritual invocation for blessings upon the upcoming labour.
A central highlight of the festival is the communal exchange of high-quality seeds among farmers, a practical tradition that ensures the entire village begins the sowing cycle with the best possible resources for an abundant harvest.
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In his address, Yanthan stated that the festival holds deep significance, as it is a time to thank God for the bountiful harvest and to invoke his blessings for the upcoming season of labour and cultivation.
Highlighting that the government of Nagaland is prioritising the welfare of farmers, Yanthan called upon both the farmers and the youth to seize the available opportunities and transform farming into a sustainable and profitable enterprise rather than merely a means of survival.
Speaking at the programme, the festival host, Benei M Lamthiu, stated that the Khiamniungan people are blessed with fertile soil and a hard-working community. However, he noted that with the growing challenges posed by climate change, traditional farming practices are no longer as effective as they once were. He underlined the need to adopt modern and sustainable agricultural methods to cope with these changes.
Benei further urged the concern line department to actively guide and support the farmers of the area by providing proper training, technical assistance, and necessary resources to help them transition to improved farming practices.
Following the formal programme, Yanthan inaugurated exhibition stalls set up by various village organisations. The celebration continued with a cultural display by the Pathso Nokeng cultural troupe and the Pathso cultural troupe.