Nagaland: Department of Agriculture reviews OPA activities in Wokha

Our correspondent

Wokha, July 1 (EMN): The Ministry of Agriculture, Wokha Division, on Friday conducted a monitoring program of the Mission Organic Value Chain Development Project for the North East Region (MOVCDNER) with review of the activities of the Producers Organization (FPO) in Wokha district.

Wokha District Agriculture Officer Santsu Kithan highlighted the importance of FPO and how it works and how FPO helps farmers in supply chain markets increase their post-harvest yields.

The DAO emphasized organic farming and encouraged farmers to engage in large-scale farming. He also advised farmers to adopt modern technologies in their agriculture, while reminding them that the world has become a global village and they can improve their farming knowledge even through the use of mobile phones.

Kithan said Wokha district is currently focusing on ginger cultivation under FPO Wokha and the 500 registered members of FPO have the potential to produce a large amount of ginger.

Stating that Wokha district is blessed with favorable agro-climatic conditions for farming, he encouraged farmers as well as educated unemployed youths to take up farming and take keen interest in various sectors of agriculture like farming.

The DAO said that farming as a profession will help eradicate the problem of unemployment in the state and various agencies of Indian government and state government are implementing different schemes.

He called for large-scale collective production through farming and making raw materials rather than selling individually so that farmers can benefit more.

Kithan informed that in 2020-2021, Wokha district had received an agricultural infrastructure fund of INR 20 crore but lamented that no individual or registered company came forward to avail the loan, an opportunity offered to farmers to set up their required units.

Tongphi Products owner Lanchibemo Lotha shared his marketing experience and encouraged farmers to thoroughly investigate their products and apply their skills and ideas to farming.

He also explained how Tongphi Products was initially established and currently Tongphi Products is widely sold in the market and online sites like Amazon, Tribes India and 18 offline outlets in Nagaland.

Phyobeni Mozhui, Head of Agriculture, highlighted the role of OPAs in agricultural sectors. The program ended with an interaction session attended by approximately 30 members.