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Dimapur, July 25 (EMN): Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Mokokchung in association with SAMETI, Medziphema, and MANAGE, Hyderabad conducted a six-day skill training of rural youth (STRY), programme on “Post-harvest processing of fruits and vegetables” from July 18 to the 23rd at Sangtam Baptist Church, Penli ward, Mokokchung.
District agriculture officer & PD ATMA, Mokokchung, in a press release informed that over the years, horticulture has emerged as one of the potential agricultural enterprises in accelerating the growth of the economy in Nagaland.
“The state produces wide variety of fruits like orange, lemon, pears, banana, passion fruit, pineapple, mango, etc. However 5 to 30% of the horticultural products are lost due to poor post- harvest management, this loss can be checked if we subject our produce to value addition,” the release stated.
Considering these factors and with an aim to impart skill-based training and create self-employment among the rural youth and also to facilitate their growth as entrepreneur on post- harvest processing, the STRY programme was conducted, it stated.
Resource persons of the skill training were deputy project director, ATMA, Mokokchung, Sentinaro Longchar, and assistant technology manager, Changtongya block, Toshirenla T Longkumer.
Topics discussed during the week-long programme included introduction to importance of value addition and techniques of preservation and sterilization. The participants were also hands on demonstration on preparation of banana jam, green chilli pickle, garlic pickle, tomato pickle, passion fruit squash, mango pickle, sweet, sour and spicy mango pickle, brinjal pickle and preparation of pear jam. Handling of sealing machine and sealing of pouch were also demonstrated to the participants, the release stated.
Earlier, in the inaugural programme, deputy project director, ATMA, Mokokchung, in her keynote address gave a brief introduction about the programme and encouraged the trainees to actively participate in the training programme to improve their skills and knowledge.
In the valedictory programme, Pastor, Sangtam Baptist Church, Mokokchung, Sangyu Sangtam, distributed certificates to all the 20 participants. Evaluation and feedbacks from the participants were also collected, the release added.